There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss here is the intensity of the event, described not just as hail, but as "fire infolding itself in the midst of the hail." This isn't just a storm; it's a supernatural display where the elements themselves seem to be wrestling, indicating a divine power at work far beyond natural phenomena.
There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pharaoh has repeatedly refused to let God's people go, so God unleashes the seventh plague: a devastating hailstorm of unprecedented fury, described as fire flashing within the hail. This supernatural tempest specifically targets all Egyptians and their property found in the fields, destroying livestock, crops, and trees, while miraculously sparing the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived.
Imagine the sky opening up, not just with ice, but with fire! This wasn't your average storm; it was a supernatural display designed to shatter Egypt's pride.
Exodus 9:24 describes a terrifying plague unlike anything Egypt had ever witnessed. The text highlights a 'fire mingled with the hail,' not just lightning, but a continuous, self-consuming fire within the storm.
A Supernatural Synthesis
Commentaries suggest this wasn't simply a severe hailstorm. The description of 'fire infolding itself' points to an electrical phenomenon intensified to an extraordinary degree. This wasn't a natural disaster; it was God wielding the elements.
Unprecedented Power
Pharaoh had seen plagues before, but this one was described as 'very grievous, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.' This unprecedented nature was intentional, meant to impress upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians the unparalleled power of the God of Israel.
While the hail destroyed everything in its path, a crucial detail reveals God's protective hand and His specific message to Pharaoh.
This plague was not indiscriminate destruction. God explicitly warned Pharaoh beforehand, giving him an opportunity to save his people and livestock:
A Selective Strike
God instructed Moses, 'Send therefore now, and gather all that you have in the field... for the hail shall come down upon every man and beast which is found in the field and is not brought home' (Exodus 9:19-20). Those who feared the Lord heeded the warning and brought their belongings inside, while those who disregarded God's word suffered the full brunt of the plague.
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The Contrast of Goshen
Crucially, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was spared entirely (Exodus 9:26). This stark contrast served as a powerful testament to God's sovereignty and His deliberate protection of His chosen people. It was a visible demonstration of God's power to both judge and deliver, a clear message to Pharaoh that he was not just fighting Moses, but the Almighty God of Israel.
This catastrophic event, described as unlike anything seen since Egypt's founding, demonstrates God's ultimate power over nature and serves as a divine judgment against Pharaoh's stubborn resistance.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
The Israelites have been living in Egypt for centuries and are now subjected to harsh enslavement by the Egyptians, a situation that has deeply entrenched itself over time.
c. 1446 BC
Moses Confronts Pharaoh
God calls Moses to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites, initiating a series of escalating plagues upon Egypt as Pharaoh refuses.
c. 1446 BC
Plague of Hail and Fire Announced
Following Pharaoh's continued defiance, God announces the coming of a devastating plague of hail, accompanied by destructive fire, unprecedented in Egypt's history.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Great Hailstorm Strikes Egypt
A violent storm of hail, with flashes of fire within it, devastates everything in the open fields across Egypt, killing people, livestock, and destroying crops and trees.
c. 1446 BC
Goshen Spared from the Hail
The land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, is miraculously preserved from the destructive hail, highlighting God's protective power over His people.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Fleeting Repentance
Terrified by the plague, Pharaoh briefly repents and asks Moses to intercede, but his heart hardens again once the immediate danger passes.
This passage uses a similar, striking image of 'fire infolding itself' to describe a powerful divine manifestation, emphasizing the extraordinary and overwhelming nature of God's power.
Psalm 105:33This psalm recounts God's mighty acts in leading Israel out of Egypt, specifically mentioning that God struck their trees with hail and shattered their trees, echoing the destructive force described in Exodus.
Jeremiah 10:13This verse speaks of God bringing storms and thunder from the heavens, highlighting God's sovereignty over the elements and His ability to use natural phenomena as instruments of His judgment or power.
Revelation 16:21This passage describes a catastrophic hailstorm of immense size and severity during the end times, showing that such powerful and destructive hailstorms have been a consistent symbol of God's judgment throughout Scripture.
clarkeExodus 9:24: "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."
Hail, and fire mingled with the hail - It is generally allowed that the electric fluid is essential to the formation of hail. On this occasion it was supplied in a supernatural abundance; for streams of fire seem to have accompanied the descending hail, so that herbs and trees, beasts and men, were all destroyed by them.
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…
What's easy to miss here is the intensity of the event, described not just as hail, but as "fire infolding itself in the midst of the hail." This isn't just a storm; it's a supernatural display where the elements themselves seem to be wrestling, indicating a divine power at work far beyond natural phenomena.
Pharaoh has repeatedly refused to let God's people go, so God unleashes the seventh plague: a devastating hailstorm of unprecedented fury, described as fire flashing within the hail. This supernatural tempest specifically targets all Egyptians and their property found in the fields, destroying livestock, crops, and trees, while miraculously sparing the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived.
Pharaoh has repeatedly refused to let God's people go, so God unleashes the seventh plague: a devastating hailstorm of unprecedented fury, described as fire flashing within the hail. This supernatural tempest specifically targets all Egyptians and their property found in the fields, destroying livestock, crops, and trees, while miraculously sparing the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived.
"There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation." — What's easy to miss here is the intensity of the event, described not just as hail, but as "fire infolding itself in the midst of the hail." This isn't just a storm; it's a supernatural display whe…
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Last reviewed October 2026