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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse describes "fire ran down to the earth," which isn't just lightning, but a phenomenon that "walked" or "ran along" the ground. This suggests an unusual electrical display, a "fireball" effect, intensely destructive and clearly beyond natural weather patterns. It highlights God's power to wield even the elements in terrifying, unnatural ways to make His point.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to let Israel go, God unleashes a devastating plague of hail, fire, and thunder upon Egypt, destroying everything in the fields. This marks the seventh plague, a more severe display of God's power than the previous ones. While the Egyptians and their property are ravaged, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live, remains untouched.
Imagine the sky opening up with a force unlike anything you've ever experienced. This wasn't just a storm; it was God's direct intervention, showcasing His power over creation itself.
Exodus 9:23 describes a terrifying display of God's judgment: thunder, hail, and fire. This wasn't a natural disaster unfolding randomly.
A Deliberate Act
Even in the face of overwhelming power, people react differently. This plague highlighted a stark contrast in how Egyptians responded to God's warnings.
The narrative surrounding the seventh plague shows that God’s judgments, while universal in their impact on the land, elicited vastly different responses from people.
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Fear vs. Indifference
Understand the original words
matteh · Hebrew Noun
A rod or walking stick carried by a leader or shepherd, symbolizing delegated authority and power from God. It serves as an instrument through which God's miraculous works are performed.
ra'am · Hebrew Noun
A manifestation of the voice or presence of God, often associated with His power, judgment, and majesty. It frequently signals divine intervention in human affairs.
esh · Hebrew Noun
A symbol of divine presence, purity, judgment, or the glory of God. In judgment contexts, it represents the consuming nature of God's holiness against sin.
This seventh plague, unprecedented in its ferocity and scope, demonstrates God's escalating judgment against Egypt's oppression and Pharaoh's stubborn resistance. The distinct sparing of Goshen emphasizes God's protection over His people amidst surrounding devastation.
c. 1446 BC
Moses confronts Pharaoh
Moses and Aaron repeatedly approach Pharaoh, demanding the release of the Israelites. Pharaoh's heart is hardened, leading to a series of plagues against Egypt.
c. 1446 BC
The Plague of Frogs
The second plague, frogs, infests the land of Egypt, a significant disruption but still not enough to move Pharaoh's hardened heart.
c. 1446 BC
The Plague of Gnats
The third plague, gnats (or lice), affects both people and animals, further demonstrating God's power over Egyptian deities.
c. 1446 BC
The Plague of Flies
The fourth plague, swarms of flies, devastates Egypt, but the Israelites in Goshen are miraculously spared, highlighting a growing separation.
c. 1446 BC
Pestilence on Livestock
The fifth plague strikes the livestock of Egypt, a severe blow to their economy and way of life, while the Israelites' animals remain unharmed.
c. 1446 BC
The Plague of Boils
The sixth plague, boils on humans and animals, brings widespread suffering, yet Pharaoh's heart remains hardened.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Plague of Hail and Fire
Moses stretches out his hand, and God sends a devastating storm of hail mixed with fire, destroying crops, livestock, and people in the open fields throughout Egypt, except in Goshen.
This psalm recounts the plagues of Egypt and specifically mentions hail and fire destroying their crops and animals, directly echoing the devastation described in Exodus 9:23.
Psalm 105:32Echoing the Exodus account, this psalm also describes God turning Egypt's rain to hail and their flames of fire, highlighting the supernatural and destructive nature of the plague.
Jeremiah 10:13This prophetic passage speaks of God bringing thunder and lightning from the ends of the earth, mirroring the celestial and powerful display of God's might seen in the hail storm.
Revelation 16:21This apocalyptic vision describes a great hail falling from heaven upon humanity, connecting the judgment on Egypt to a future, even more devastating, divine act of judgment.
calvinExodus 9:13-26: "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."
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.
Nunc igitur mitte, collige pecus tuum, et quicquid tibi…
gillExodus 9:23: "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."
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven,.... The same which Aaron had made use of before, but was now in the hand of Moses, and whose rod it properly was: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground, hot thunderbolts, which struck their flocks, Psalm 78:48 and hail which…
The verse describes "fire ran down to the earth," which isn't just lightning, but a phenomenon that "walked" or "ran along" the ground. This suggests an unusual electrical display, a "fireball" effect, intensely destructive and clearly beyond natural weather patterns. It highlights God's power to wield even the elements in terrifying, unnatural ways to make His point.
After Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to let Israel go, God unleashes a devastating plague of hail, fire, and thunder upon Egypt, destroying everything in the fields. This marks the seventh plague, a more severe display of God's power than the previous ones. While the Egyptians and their property are ravaged, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live, remains untouched.
After Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to let Israel go, God unleashes a devastating plague of hail, fire, and thunder upon Egypt, destroying everything in the fields. This marks the seventh plague, a more severe display of God's power than the previous ones. While the Egyptians and their property are ravaged, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live, remains untouched.
"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." — The verse describes "fire ran down to the earth," which isn't just lightning, but a phenomenon that "walked" or "ran along" the ground. This suggests an unusual electrical display, a "fireball" effec…
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Last reviewed October 2026