Topical Encyclopedia
In the narrative of the Exodus, Moses and Aaron stand as pivotal figures through whom God demonstrates His power and sovereignty over the natural world and the deities of Egypt. One of the significant miracles performed through these servants of God is the removal of the devastating hail, a plague that struck Egypt as a divine judgment.
The account of the hail plague is found in the book of Exodus, specifically in
Exodus 9:13-35. This event is the seventh of the ten plagues that God inflicted upon Egypt to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. The hailstorm was unlike any that had ever been seen in Egypt, characterized by its severity and destructive power. It was a direct challenge to the Egyptian sky deities, showcasing the supremacy of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Before the plague, God instructed Moses to rise early and confront Pharaoh with a message: "This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'Let My people go, so that they may worship Me. Otherwise, I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth'" (
Exodus 9:13-14, BSB). The warning was clear, and the purpose was twofold: to demonstrate God's unmatched power and to secure the freedom of His people.
When Pharaoh refused to heed the warning, Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder, hail, and lightning flashing down to the earth. The hail struck down everything in the fields, both man and beast, and shattered every tree. Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites resided, was there no hail, highlighting God's protection over His chosen people.
Pharaoh, witnessing the destruction, summoned Moses and Aaron and confessed, "This time I have sinned; the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer" (
Exodus 9:27-28, BSB). Moses agreed to intercede, stating that he would spread out his hands to the LORD, and the thunder and hail would cease, so Pharaoh would know that the earth belongs to the LORD.
True to his word, Moses left Pharaoh, spread out his hands to the LORD, and the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. However, despite this miraculous cessation, Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he reneged on his promise to let the Israelites go.
This miracle, like the others performed through Moses and Aaron, served to affirm the authority of God over creation and His commitment to His covenant people. It also underscored the futility of resisting God's will, as Pharaoh's continued obstinance only led to further judgments. The removal of the hail, therefore, stands as a testament to God's mercy and power, as well as a foreshadowing of the ultimate deliverance He would provide for His people.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Exodus 9:33And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
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