The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights the chilling thoroughness of the plague, specifying not just crops but "every tree of the field" being broken. It reveals how God's judgment wasn't a partial strike but aimed at the very foundation of Egypt's sustenance and infrastructure, leaving nothing untouched outside of Goshen.
The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse describes the devastating impact of the seventh plague, a furious hailstorm God sent upon Egypt. Pharaoh had repeatedly refused Moses' demand to let the Israelites go, and God had warned him specifically that this plague would destroy anything left in the fields. While some Egyptians heeded the warning and brought their livestock and servants indoors, those who ignored God's word suffered the full, indiscriminate destruction of the storm.
God's judgment wasn't a random storm; it was a targeted assault with a clear purpose.
The hail in Egypt was unlike any natural storm. It was a supernatural display of God's power, described as 'very grievous, such as there had been none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation' (Exodus 9:24).
This wasn't just rain turning to ice. It was accompanied by fire and thunder, striking down everything in the open fields: man, beast, plants, and trees. The devastation was comprehensive, aiming to crush the Egyptian economy and spirit.
Yet, notice the striking contrast: 'Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail' (Exodus 8:22, referenced in context). This wasn't an accident. God distinguished between His people and their oppressors, a clear sign of His protection and power over all creation, even in judgment.
Pharaoh's servants knew what was coming. Their actions reveal a crucial truth about responding to God's warnings.
Before the hail fell, God instructed Moses to warn Pharaoh to bring his livestock and servants inside, lest they be destroyed (Exodus 9:19). This warning wasn't just for Pharaoh; it was for all Egyptians who would listen.
The text highlights a stark division: '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' (Exodus 9:20-21).
This shows that even within Pharaoh's court, some recognized God's authority and acted on His warning, saving themselves. Others, however, 'regarded not the word of the Lord,' choosing defiance or indifference, and suffered the consequences. This isn't about earning salvation, but about the natural outcome of respecting or disregarding God's spoken word.
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c. 1446 BC
The Ten Plagues Begin
God begins sending a series of devastating plagues upon Egypt to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Plague of Hail
God sends a violent storm of hail mixed with fire, striking down people, livestock, and crops throughout Egypt, except in the land of Goshen.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Partial Repentance
Pharaoh, terrified by the hail, briefly admits wrongdoing and promises to let the Israelites go, but his heart hardens again once the plague ceases.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus of Israel
Following further plagues and Pharaoh's continued resistance, the Israelites finally depart from Egypt, marking the end of their 430 years of sojourning.
This Psalm recounts God's mighty acts, including the plagues of Egypt, directly referencing the destruction of trees by hail, echoing the severity described in Exodus.
Jeremiah 10:13This verse speaks of God bringing thunder and hail, highlighting His power over the elements and the destruction they can bring, similar to the plague in Egypt.
Revelation 16:21This passage in Revelation describes a final, catastrophic hail from heaven, showing a pattern of God using hail as a judgment, reflecting the devastating scale seen in Exodus.
Job 38:22-23God questions Job about His power over natural phenomena like snow, hail, and storms, underscoring that these are tools at His disposal for judgment and decree, just as seen with the Egyptian hail.
gillExodus 9:25: "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."
And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt,.... It was in all the land, and it smote and did mischief in all parts of it, only in Goshen, after excepted: all that was in the field, both man and beast; which they that neglected the word of the Lord took no care to fetch home, these were all smitte…
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…
This verse highlights the chilling thoroughness of the plague, specifying not just crops but "every tree of the field" being broken. It reveals how God's judgment wasn't a partial strike but aimed at the very foundation of Egypt's sustenance and infrastructure, leaving nothing untouched outside of Goshen.
This verse describes the devastating impact of the seventh plague, a furious hailstorm God sent upon Egypt. Pharaoh had repeatedly refused Moses' demand to let the Israelites go, and God had warned him specifically that this plague would destroy anything left in the fields. While some Egyptians heeded the warning and brought their livestock and servants indoors, those who ignored God's word suffered the full, indiscriminate destruction of the storm.
This verse describes the devastating impact of the seventh plague, a furious hailstorm God sent upon Egypt. Pharaoh had repeatedly refused Moses' demand to let the Israelites go, and God had warned him specifically that this plague would destroy anything left in the fields. While some Egyptians heeded the warning and brought their livestock and servants indoors, those who ignored God's word suffered the full, indiscriminate destruction of the storm.
"The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field." — This verse highlights the chilling thoroughness of the plague, specifying not just crops but "every tree of the field" being broken. It reveals how God's judgment wasn't a partial strike but aimed at…
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Last reviewed October 2026