How does the destruction caused by the locusts (Exodus 10:15) align with the later plague of hail in Exodus 9, which supposedly ruined crops earlier?

I. Context and Overview

Exodus records a series of divine judgments upon Egypt. The seventh plague was hail (Exodus 9:13–35), and the eighth plague involved swarms of locusts (Exodus 10:1–20). On the surface, a question can arise: If the hail had already wrecked Egypt’s crops, how could the locusts later devour what remained? The text itself supplies explanations, supported by agricultural timing in ancient Egypt.

II. Scriptural Citation of the Plagues

One of the crucial passages relating to the hail and locusts is Exodus 9:31–32:

“(31) Now the flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley was ripe and the flax was in bloom. (32) But the wheat and spelt were not destroyed, because they are late crops.”

The immediate verse after the locusts appear further clarifies, Exodus 10:15:

“They covered all the surface of the land so that the land was blackened, and they consumed every plant in the ground and every fruit on the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green remained on any tree or plant in the field throughout the land of Egypt.”

III. Distinctions Between Early and Late Crops

1. Hail Damage (Exodus 9:25, 31):

The account states that the hail “struck down everything in the field” (Exodus 9:25) but is more specific in verses 31–32: it fully destroyed flax and barley, which were early crops. At that time of year, barley would already be ripe, and flax would be in bloom.

2. Surviving Crops (Exodus 9:32):

Wheat and spelt are identified as “late crops.” They would not yet be mature or fully exposed, thus less susceptible to being ruined by the hail. Either their growing heads were still forming, or their stalks were not as vulnerable. The hail caused damage, but it did not annihilate these later-maturing grains.

3. Vegetational Regrowth and Other Plants:

Beyond wheat and spelt, various forms of vegetation may have sustained partial damage but not complete destruction. Ancient agricultural cycles could allow for surviving vegetation to regrow or remain in portions not hit to the same extent by the hail. Thus there was still enough vegetation for the locusts to ravage.

IV. Timing and Sequence

1. Plague Chronology:

The plague of hail appears before the plague of locusts (Exodus 9 precedes Exodus 10). While the hail inflicted severe damage, its scope was not total on every type of crop (as the text itself clarifies). Hence, when the locusts arrived, they devoured what “the hail had left” (Exodus 10:15).

2. Short Intervals Between Plagues:

The biblical account portrays these events in close succession. Even a brief interval in the Egyptian climate (which allows certain crops to grow rapidly after rain) could provide new or partially undamaged growth. Locusts, traveling in vast swarms, would then strip bare any remaining greenery.

3. Continuous Demonstration of Divine Power:

Each plague is magnified in its specific target and effect, rather than relying on total destruction from the previous plague. This pattern emphasizes an ongoing series of judgments against Pharaoh’s stubbornness (Exodus 9:35; Exodus 10:3), showcasing both severity and precision.

V. Historical and Cultural Insights

1. Agricultural Cycles in Ancient Egypt:

Archeological discoveries and ancient records (including tomb paintings and farming documents) attest to a multi-stage harvest cycle. Barley ripened earlier, while wheat and spelt matured later in the season. This corroborates the Exodus narrative’s distinction for which crops the hail affected and which were still viable before the locusts arrived.

2. Possible Extrabiblical Evidence:

Some scholars point to Egyptian documents, such as the Ipuwer Papyrus, which references calamities consistent with widespread destruction in Egypt. While debates on its precise dating persist, it nonetheless provides at least an ancient Egyptian acknowledgment of cataclysmic events.

VI. Theological and Practical Implications

1. Consistency in the Biblical Record:

The passages in Exodus 9 and 10, rather than contradicting each other, illustrate a coherent account of agricultural realities. Far from an oversight, the narrative’s specificity about crop maturity times explains why locusts could still inflict unprecedented devastation after the hail.

2. Purpose in Divine Judgments:

The hail and locusts serve as signs against Pharaoh’s defiance (Exodus 9:14, 10:3). The broader context emphasizes that these judgments were purposeful demonstrations of God’s power and sovereignty. They systematically dismantled Egypt’s economic and agricultural stability, revealing the futility of Egyptian gods and Pharaoh’s own claims (Exodus 12:12).

3. Faithfulness of Scripture:

The alignment between historical farming practices, timing of harvests, and the scriptural data reinforces confidence in the text’s accuracy. It also underscores how each plague had a distinct contribution to the sequence of devastation, rather than being an impossible duplication of the same event.

VII. Conclusion

In summary, the question of how the locusts still had crops to devour after the hail is answered in the biblical text itself—flax and barley were early crops and were destroyed by hail, but wheat, spelt, and other vegetation were late crops and either not yet fully developed or less exposed. The locusts then consumed everything that remained or regrew, leading to the overarching purpose of demonstrating divine power and urging Pharaoh to release the Israelites. The consistency of the biblical record’s details with ancient Egyptian agricultural practices and cycles further validates its reliability.