Hailstones
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Topical Encyclopedia
Hailstones are mentioned in the Bible as a significant meteorological phenomenon often associated with divine judgment and power. These icy projectiles are depicted as instruments of God's wrath and are used to demonstrate His sovereignty over nature and the affairs of humanity.

Biblical References:

1. The Plague of Hail in Egypt: One of the most notable occurrences of hailstones in the Bible is during the seventh plague that God sent upon Egypt. In Exodus 9:23-26 , it is recorded: "So Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. The hail fell and continued to fall, and lightning flashed through it. So severe was the hail that nothing like it had occurred in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout the land of Egypt, the hail struck down everything in the field, both man and beast; it beat down every plant of the field and shattered every tree. The only place where it did not hail was in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived." This event underscores God's power to protect His people while executing judgment on their oppressors.

2. The Battle of Gibeon: In Joshua 10:11 , hailstones are used as a weapon in the battle against the Amorites: "As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites." This passage highlights the divine intervention in battles, where God directly aids His people by using natural elements to secure victory.

3. Prophetic Imagery: Hailstones are also used in prophetic literature to symbolize God's judgment. In Isaiah 28:17 , it is written: "I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place." Here, hailstones metaphorically represent the destruction of falsehood and the establishment of divine justice.

4. The Book of Revelation: In the apocalyptic visions of Revelation, hailstones appear as part of the end-times judgments. Revelation 16:21 states: "And great hailstones, about a hundred pounds each, rained down on them from above. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because it was so horrendous." This imagery serves to convey the severity and inescapability of God's final judgment upon the earth.

Theological Significance:

Hailstones in the Bible are more than just a natural occurrence; they are a manifestation of God's direct involvement in the world. They serve as a reminder of His omnipotence and His ability to use creation to fulfill His purposes. The biblical accounts of hailstones emphasize God's justice, His protection of His people, and His ultimate authority over all creation. These narratives encourage believers to recognize the power of God and to trust in His righteous governance of the world.
ATS Bible Dictionary
Hailstones

Drops of rain formed into ice by the power of cold in the upper regions of the atmosphere. Hail was among the plagues of Egypt, Exodus 9:24, and was the more terrible, because it rarely occurred in that country. Hail was also made use of by God for defeating an army of Canaanites, Joshua 10:11; and is used figuratively to represent terrible judgments, Isaiah 28:2; Revelation 16:21.

Greek
5464. chalaza -- hailstone
... Word Origin a prim. word Definition hailstone NASB Word Usage hail (2), hailstones
(1), hailstorm (1). hail. Probably from chalao; hail -- hail. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5464.htm - 6k
Strong's Hebrew
1259. barad -- hail
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition hail NASB Word Usage hail (23), hailstones
(4), hailstones* (2). hail, hailstones. From barad; hail -hail ((stones)). ...
/hebrew/1259.htm - 6k

417. elgabish -- hail
... 416, 417. elgabish. 418 . hail. Transliteration: elgabish Phonetic Spelling:
(el-gaw-beesh') Short Definition: hailstones. ... great hailstones. ...
/hebrew/417.htm - 6k

68. eben -- a stone
... root Definition a stone NASB Word Usage another (1), charm* (1), cornerstone* (1),
death (1), differing weights (3), hailstones* (4), jeweler* (1), lapis lazuli ...
/hebrew/68.htm - 6k

Library

Psalm 18
... His thick clouds pass'd away, hailstones. and coals of fire did fly. ... did thunder
in his ire; And there the Highest gave his voice,. hailstones and coals of fire. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 18.htm

God's People Delivered
... lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame
of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones." Isaiah 30:29 ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 40 gods people delivered.htm

God's People Delivered.
... the lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame
of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones."(1091). ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /40 gods people delivered.htm

David's Strength
... At the brightness of his presence his clouds removed: hailstones, and
coals of fire. The Lord also thundered out of heaven, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/david/sermon ii davids strength.htm

The King --Continued.
... may be rendered in two ways: either that adopted in our version, "At the brightness
that was before Him His thick clouds passed"hailstones and coals of fire ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/x the kingcontinued.htm

Of the Character of the Unregenerate.
... Thus saith the Lord God, I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury: and
there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my ...
/.../doddridge/practical discourses on regeneration/discourse i of the character.htm

Appendix.
... And from the hailstones full of wrath and cast as out of a stone bow the cities
shall fall down, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/the general menaion/appendix.htm

The First Trumpet.
... and shall show the descent of his arm in the indignation of his anger, and in the
flame of a consuming fire, in dispersion and tempest, and hailstones; for at ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the first trumpet.htm

On Psalm Lxxvii. Or Lxxviii.
... with invisible bites, the dog-fly fastening on the body with its painful sting,
the hurricanes from heaven falling upon them with hailstones, the husbandman's ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on psalm lxxvii or lxxviii.htm

Of the Loosing of the Devil, and of the Second and Greatest ...
... set it on fire; and excessive heat and great burning shall descend upon the hostile
and impious people, and showers of brimstone, and hailstones, and drops of ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xxvi of the loosing of.htm

Thesaurus
Hailstones (10 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Hailstones (10 Occurrences). Revelation 16:21 Great
hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. ...
/h/hailstones.htm - 9k

Shower (22 Occurrences)
... of blessing, "showers of blessing" (Ezekiel 34:26); of destruction: "There shall
be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in wrath to ...
/s/shower.htm - 15k

Hail (42 Occurrences)
... The separate masses or grains are called hailstones. ... Within a few years hailstones
of unusual size fell in Port Said, breaking thousands of windows. ...
/h/hail.htm - 25k

Torrents (17 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 say unto them that daub it with whited plaster, that it shall fall;
there shall be an overflowing shower, and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall ...
/t/torrents.htm - 10k

Overflowing (54 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 tell those who daub it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall
be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a ...
/o/overflowing.htm - 23k

Flooding (4 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 Say to those daubing with chalk -- It falleth, There hath been an
overflowing shower, And ye, O hailstones, do fall, And a tempestuous wind doth ...
/f/flooding.htm - 8k

Tempestuous (8 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 Say to those daubing with chalk -- It falleth, There hath been an
overflowing shower, And ye, O hailstones, do fall, And a tempestuous wind doth ...
/t/tempestuous.htm - 9k

Coals (28 Occurrences)
... Psalms 18:12 At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and
coals of fire. ... The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire. ...
/c/coals.htm - 14k

Stormy (12 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 13:11 tell those who daub it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall
be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a ...
/s/stormy.htm - 10k

Hailstone (1 Occurrence)
... to be heard, and will show the descent of his arm, with the indignation of his anger,
and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, storm, and hailstones. ...
/h/hailstone.htm - 6k

Resources
What are the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls in the Book of Revelation? | GotQuestions.org

Is Zechariah 14:4 a prophecy about the second coming of Christ? | GotQuestions.org

How were Pharaoh's magicians able to perform miracles? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Hailstones (10 Occurrences)

Revelation 16:21
Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 10:11
It happened, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, that Yahweh cast down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than who the children of Israel killed with the sword.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 18:12
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 18:13
Yahweh also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV)

Psalms 78:47
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore-trees with frost.
(See NAS)

Psalms 78:48
He gave over their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to fiery bolts.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 30:30
Yahweh will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the descent of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, storm, and hailstones.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 13:11
tell those who daub it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and you, great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 13:13
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will even tear it with a stormy wind in my wrath; and there shall be an overflowing shower in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 38:22
With pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him, and on his hordes, and on the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and sulfur.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Hailstones

Related Terms

Hail-stones (2 Occurrences)

Hail (42 Occurrences)

Shower (22 Occurrences)

Torrents (17 Occurrences)

Overflowing (54 Occurrences)

Frost (9 Occurrences)

Flooding (4 Occurrences)

Tempestuous (8 Occurrences)

Coals (28 Occurrences)

Stormy (12 Occurrences)

Hailstone (1 Occurrence)

Ice (20 Occurrences)

Descent (22 Occurrences)

Rend (35 Occurrences)

Burst (33 Occurrences)

Clouds (99 Occurrences)

Untempered (5 Occurrences)

Unleash (2 Occurrences)

Lighting (9 Occurrences)

Gog (12 Occurrences)

Whitewash (7 Occurrences)

Whited (7 Occurrences)

Fearful (73 Occurrences)

Furious (28 Occurrences)

Terrible (90 Occurrences)

Torrential (1 Occurrence)

Thundered (5 Occurrences)

Talent (16 Occurrences)

Rains (16 Occurrences)

Resounded (5 Occurrences)

Extremely (15 Occurrences)

Daubing (6 Occurrences)

Downpour (4 Occurrences)

Daub (3 Occurrences)

Destructive (14 Occurrences)

Devouring (20 Occurrences)

Morter (7 Occurrences)

Pounds (16 Occurrences)

Brightness (36 Occurrences)

Bolts (14 Occurrences)

Bursting (22 Occurrences)

Blasphemed (28 Occurrences)

Beth (115 Occurrences)

Chalk (8 Occurrences)

Consuming (26 Occurrences)

Cursed (115 Occurrences)

Cloudburst (1 Occurrence)

Azekah (7 Occurrences)

Scattering (18 Occurrences)

Stones (244 Occurrences)

Sulfur (14 Occurrences)

Swords (50 Occurrences)

Hailstorm (3 Occurrences)

Horon (13 Occurrences)

Severe (53 Occurrences)

Plaster (13 Occurrences)

Mortar (16 Occurrences)

Tear (97 Occurrences)

Tempest (30 Occurrences)

Brimstone (14 Occurrences)

Winds (35 Occurrences)

Advanced (32 Occurrences)

Hordes (24 Occurrences)

Weight (143 Occurrences)

Indignation (56 Occurrences)

Exceeding (101 Occurrences)

Bloodshed (43 Occurrences)

Uttered (60 Occurrences)

Storm (62 Occurrences)

Plague (142 Occurrences)

Stone (290 Occurrences)

Exceedingly (167 Occurrences)

Battle (282 Occurrences)

Majesty (67 Occurrences)

Thunder (48 Occurrences)

Blast (28 Occurrences)

Fled (181 Occurrences)

Bethhoron (12 Occurrences)

Hailstone
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