Exodus 9:23
New International Version
When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt;

New Living Translation
So Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed toward the earth. The LORD sent a tremendous hailstorm against all the land of Egypt.

English Standard Version
Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

Berean Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD rained down hail upon the land of Egypt.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

New American Standard Bible
So Moses reached out with his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

NASB 1995
Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

NASB 1977
And Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and Yahweh gave forth thunder and hail, and fire went down to the earth. And Yahweh rained down hail on the land of Egypt.

Amplified Bible
Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning (fireballs) ran down to the earth and along the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Christian Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail. Lightning struck the land, and the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail. Lightning struck the earth, and the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

American Standard Version
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and Jehovah sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down unto the earth; and Jehovah rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

English Revised Version
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down unto the earth; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD made it hail on Egypt.

Good News Translation
So Moses raised his stick toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the ground. The LORD sent

International Standard Version
When Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. The LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Majority Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD rained down hail upon the land of Egypt.

NET Bible
When Moses extended his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire fell to the earth; so the LORD caused hail to rain down on the land of Egypt.

New Heart English Bible
Moses stretched forth his rod toward the heavens, and the LORD sent thunder, and hail, and fire fell to the earth. The LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses stretched forth his rod towards 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.

World English Bible
Moses stretched out his rod toward the heavens, and Yahweh sent thunder and hail; and lightning flashed down to the earth. Yahweh rained hail on the land of Egypt.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Moses stretches out his rod toward the heavens, and YHWH has given voices and hail, and fire goes toward the earth, and YHWH rains hail on the land of Egypt,

Young's Literal Translation
And Moses stretcheth out his rod towards the heavens, and Jehovah hath given voices and hail, and fire goeth towards the earth, and Jehovah raineth hail on the land of Egypt,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Moses will stretch forth his rod towards the heavens, and Jehovah gave voices, and hail; and fire will go upon the earth: and Jehovah will rain hail upon the land of Egypt.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Moses stretched forth his rod towards heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning running along the ground: and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Moses extended his staff into the sky, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and also lightning dashing across the earth. And the Lord rained down hail upon the land of Egypt.

New American Bible
So Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent forth peals of thunder and hail. Lightning flashed toward the earth, and the LORD rained down hail upon the land of Egypt.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire came down on the earth. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Moses lifted up his staff toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning ran along on the ground; and the LORD showered hail upon the land of Egypt.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Moshe lifted his staff before the face of Heaven, and LORD JEHOVAH gave a noise, and hail and fire was walking on the ground, and LORD JEHOVAH brought down the hail on the land of Egypt.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down unto the earth; and the LORD caused to hail upon the land of Egypt.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Moses stretched forth his hand to heaven, and the Lord sent thunderings and hail; and the fire ran along upon the ground, and the Lord rained hail on all the land of Egypt.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Seventh Plague: Hail
22Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt—on man and beast and every plant of the field throughout the land of Egypt.” 23So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD rained down hail upon the land of Egypt. 24The hail fell and the lightning continued flashing through it. The hail was so severe that nothing like it had ever been seen in all the land of Egypt from the time it became a nation.…

Cross References
Revelation 16:21
And great hailstones weighing almost a hundred pounds each rained down on them from above. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because it was so horrendous.

Psalm 78:47-48
He killed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore-figs with sleet. / He abandoned their cattle to the hail and their livestock to bolts of lightning.

Psalm 105:32-33
He gave them hail for rain, with lightning throughout their land. / He struck their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country.

Joshua 10:11
As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites.

Job 38:22-23
Have you entered the storehouses of snow or observed the storehouses of hail, / which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of war and battle?

Isaiah 30:30
And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.

Ezekiel 38:22
I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrents of rain, hailstones, fire, and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.

1 Samuel 12:17-18
Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.” / So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

Revelation 8:7
Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass.

Psalm 18:12-14
From the brightness of His presence His clouds advanced—hailstones and coals of fire. / The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire. / He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

Isaiah 28:2
Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.

Job 37:13
Whether for punishment or for His land, He accomplishes this in His loving devotion.

Matthew 24:7
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Luke 21:11
There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

Mark 13:8
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.


Treasury of Scripture

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

the Lord sent

Exodus 19:16
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

Exodus 20:18
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

1 Samuel 12:17,18
Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king…

and hail

Joshua 10:11
And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

Job 38:22,23
Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, …

Psalm 18:13
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

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Exodus 9
1. The plague on livestock
8. The plague of boils
13. The message of Moses about the hail,
22. The plague of hail
27. Pharaoh pleads with Moses, but yet is hardened














So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven
Moses' action of stretching out his staff is a recurring motif in the Exodus narrative, symbolizing divine authority and intervention. The staff, a simple shepherd's tool, becomes a powerful instrument of God's will. This act signifies Moses' obedience and the direct connection between God's command and the ensuing miracle. The gesture toward heaven indicates the source of the power—God Himself. This act parallels other instances where Moses uses the staff to perform miracles, such as parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16).

and the LORD sent thunder and hail
The LORD's response to Moses' action is immediate and powerful, demonstrating His control over nature. Thunder and hail are often associated with divine judgment in the Bible. In the ancient Near East, storms were seen as manifestations of divine power, and here they serve as a direct challenge to the Egyptian gods, particularly those associated with weather and agriculture. This plague is the seventh in a series of ten, each designed to show the impotence of the Egyptian deities and the supremacy of the God of Israel.

and lightning struck the earth
The lightning, or "fire," as some translations render it, adds to the terror and destruction of the plague. It emphasizes the severity of God's judgment and the comprehensive nature of the devastation. Lightning is often a symbol of God's presence and power, as seen in other biblical passages like Psalm 18:14 and Revelation 4:5. This element of the plague underscores the divine origin of the event, distinguishing it from natural occurrences.

So the LORD rained down hail upon the land of Egypt
The phrase "rained down" suggests a continuous and overwhelming onslaught, highlighting the intensity of the plague. Hailstorms were rare in Egypt, making this event even more extraordinary and terrifying. The land of Egypt, a symbol of human pride and power, is subjected to divine judgment, fulfilling God's promise to demonstrate His power and compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites. This act of judgment also foreshadows future divine interventions, such as the plagues in Revelation, and serves as a type of Christ's ultimate victory over sin and death.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt. In this verse, Moses acts in obedience to God's command, demonstrating his role as God's instrument.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who demonstrates His power and sovereignty over creation through the plagues, including the hailstorm.

3. Egypt
The land where the Israelites were enslaved. The plagues, including the hail, were judgments against Egypt and its gods, showcasing God's supremacy.

4. Thunder, Hail, and Lightning
These elements are manifestations of God's power and judgment. The Hebrew word for hail, (barad), signifies a destructive force used by God to execute His will.

5. The Plagues
A series of divine judgments against Egypt, each designed to demonstrate God's power and compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty
The plagues, including the hail, demonstrate God's absolute control over nature and His ability to use it to fulfill His purposes.

Obedience to God's Commands
Moses' action in stretching out his staff is a model of obedience. Believers are called to act in faith, trusting in God's instructions.

Judgment and Mercy
While the plagues were acts of judgment, they also served as opportunities for repentance. God's judgments are often accompanied by His call to turn back to Him.

God's Power Over Idols
The plagues were direct challenges to the gods of Egypt, showing that no idol can stand against the true God. Believers are reminded to trust in God alone.

The Role of Intercession
Moses' role as an intercessor for Israel points to the importance of prayer and standing in the gap for others.(23) The fire ran along upon the ground.--Heb., fire walked earthwards. Kalisch and Knobel understand by this mere ordinary lightning, but Aben-Ezra, Canon Cook, and others think that the phenomenon was such as our Version well expresses. There is no doubt that the electric fluid occasionally takes a form which has something of permanency, continuing several seconds, or even minutes, either stationary or with a slow motion. Appearances of this kind have been called "fire-balls," and indicate an excessive electrical disturbance, involving great peril to life and property. If the expression "fire walked earthwards" does not imply anything of this kind, yet the peculiar phrase of Exodus 9:24 would seem to do so.

Verse 23. - Moses stretched forth his rod. In the last set of three plagues, the earthly agent was Moses (Exodus 9:10; Exodus 10:13, 22), whose diffidence seems to have worn off as time went on, and he became accustomed to put himself forward. Thunder and hail. Thunder had not been predicted; but it is a common accompaniment of a hail-storm, the change of temperature produced by the discharge of electricity no doubt conducing to the formation of hailstones. The fire ran along upon the ground. Some very peculiar electrical display seems to be intended - something corresponding to the phenomena called "fireballs," where the electric fluid does not merely flash momentarily, but remains for several seconds, or even minutes, before it disappears.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Moses
מֹשֶׁ֣ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

stretched out
וַיֵּ֨ט (way·yêṭ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

his staff
מַטֵּהוּ֮ (maṭ·ṭê·hū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

toward
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

heaven,
הַשָּׁמַיִם֒ (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

and the LORD
וַֽיהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

sent
נָתַ֤ן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

thunder
קֹלֹת֙ (qō·lōṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

and hail,
וּבָרָ֔ד (ū·ḇā·rāḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1259: Hail

and lightning
אֵ֖שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

struck
וַתִּ֥הֲלַךְ (wat·ti·hă·laḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

the earth.
אָ֑רְצָה (’ā·rə·ṣāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

So the LORD
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

rained
וַיַּמְטֵ֧ר (way·yam·ṭêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4305: To rain

hail
בָּרָ֖ד (bā·rāḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1259: Hail

upon
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the land
אֶ֥רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Egypt.
מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (miṣ·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa


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OT Law: Exodus 9:23 Moses stretched forth his rod toward (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 9:22
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