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Exodus 9

Exodus book home•Chapter 9 of 40•35 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Exodus 9 Overview

Exodus 9 brings three more judgments: a severe pestilence on Egyptian livestock, boils on people and beasts, and devastating hail. The LORD again distinguishes Israel’s livestock from Egypt’s. The boils leave the magicians unable even to stand before Moses. Before the hail, God explains that the plagues are revealing his power and declaring his name throughout the earth. Egyptians who fear the word of the LORD bring servants and cattle to shelter; those who ignore it suffer loss. Pharaoh confesses that he has sinned, but when the storm stops he sins yet more and hardens his heart.

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Before you read Exodus 9

Coming from

Exodus 8 ends with Pharaoh hardening his heart again after the plague of flies is removed.

In this chapter

The plagues now strike livestock, bodies, crops, and the sky, while some Egyptians begin responding differently to the LORD’s warnings.

Leads into

Exodus 10 continues with locusts and darkness and brings Pharaoh’s resistance close to the final death-plague announcement.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

God’s control is precise: Israel’s livestock are distinguished from Egypt’s, and the timing of judgments is announced beforehand.

Truth 2

The magicians’ inability to stand under the boils marks another collapse of Egyptian religious opposition.

Truth 3

God explicitly says his power is being shown so that his name may be declared throughout the earth.

Truth 4

Some Egyptians fear the LORD’s word enough to act on the hail warning, showing that the narrative is not a simplistic ethnic contrast.

Truth 5

Pharaoh’s confession under pressure is followed by renewed hardening when the danger passes.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Romans 9:17 quotes the purpose statement about Pharaoh and God’s name being declared throughout the earth.

Connection 2

Psalm 78 and Psalm 105 remember the livestock judgment and hail in Israel’s later worship.

Connection 3

Revelation’s plague imagery, especially sores and hail, draws on the Exodus judgment pattern.

Connection 4

Proverbs repeatedly distinguishes hearing warning from refusing correction, a wisdom pattern vividly illustrated here.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

The livestock plague does not mean every animal in Egypt without exception dies, because later verses still mention Egyptian cattle; the wording should be read in the narrative’s own scope and categories.

Keep this clear 2

Pharaoh’s words “I have sinned” are not enough by themselves to prove lasting repentance; the text immediately describes further sin and hardening.

Keep this clear 3

God’s judgments include warnings and opportunities to respond; some Egyptians shelter servants and animals because they fear the word.

Keep this clear 4

Protection of Israel in these plagues is covenant-historical and should not become a universal exemption promise.

Read Exodus 9 watching for…

The distinction between Egyptian and Israelite livestock.

The magicians’ inability to stand.

God’s explanation of why Pharaoh has been raised up and confronted.

The Egyptians who fear the LORD’s word.

The difference between Pharaoh’s confession and his later conduct.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-7The plague on Egypt's livestock 8-12The plague of boils 13-21God warns of hail 22-35The plague of hail

Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,

Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.

And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.

And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.

And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:

And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.

Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD's.

But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.

And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.

But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.

And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.

And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Exodus 9:18

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