What is the meaning of Exodus 9:28?

Pray to the LORD,

“Pray to the LORD…” (Exodus 9:28)

• Pharaoh once again turns to Moses as intercessor, mirroring earlier pleas in Exodus 8:8 and 8:28.

• Scripture consistently shows the power of righteous intercession (Genesis 18:23-33; Numbers 14:13-19; James 5:16).

• Even a rebellious ruler recognizes that only Israel’s God can stop the plagues (1 Kings 18:39).

• The request underscores the relational nature of prayer: God’s people approach Him, and He answers (Psalm 34:15-17).

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for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail.

“…for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail.” (Exodus 9:28)

• The seventh plague (Exodus 9:23-26) combines fire and ice, leaving Egypt’s crops ruined while sparing Goshen—clear evidence of divine distinction (Exodus 9:4).

• Thunder, lightning, and hail often symbolize God’s majesty and judgment (Psalm 29:3-11; Revelation 8:5; 16:18-21).

• Pharaoh concedes that the devastation is “enough,” confessing—though not repenting—that the calamity comes from God (Exodus 9:27).

• God’s mercy shines through judgment: He warned in advance (Exodus 9:18-19) and preserved life for any who heeded (compare 2 Peter 3:9).

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I will let you go;

“I will let you go;…” (Exodus 9:28)

• Pharaoh repeats a promise he has broken before (Exodus 8:15, 32).

• The phrase anticipates the ultimate command, “Let My people go” (Exodus 5:1; 7:16; 9:1).

• God foretold Pharaoh’s vacillating heart (Exodus 4:21), turning it into a stage for His glory (Romans 9:17).

• The believer can trust that divine deliverance is certain even when human authorities waver (Acts 5:29).

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you do not need to stay any longer.

“…you do not need to stay any longer.” (Exodus 9:28)

• Pharaoh’s words echo God’s own promise of release (Exodus 6:6-8).

• Though spoken by an unfaithful king, the statement foreshadows the midnight exodus (Exodus 12:31-33).

• Spiritually, it prefigures the freedom Christ secures from the bondage of sin (John 8:36; Colossians 1:13-14).

• The moment also illustrates that true liberation comes only when God breaks the oppressor’s grip (Isaiah 52:3; Galatians 5:1).

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summary

Exodus 9:28 reveals a reluctant monarch acknowledging the Almighty’s power, begging Moses to intercede, and promising release he cannot uphold. The verse highlights the efficacy of prayer, the undeniability of divine judgment, the weakness of human resolve against God’s purposes, and the certainty of the deliverance God has ordained for His people.