(The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The specific timing of the barley being "in the ear" and the flax "bolled" (meaning in bud or forming its seed-vessel) highlights that the hail didn't just hit any crops. It struck the ones that were closest to harvest, demonstrating God's precise judgment and the devastating impact on Egypt's immediate agricultural wealth. This detail reveals that God's plagues weren't random destruction but targeted blows affecting what was most valuable and ripe for the taking.
(The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pharaoh has just confessed his sin and acknowledged God's righteousness, begging Moses to stop the terrible hail. Moses then withdraws to pray, promising that the storm will cease, and instructs Pharaoh that he and his servants still do not fear God, indicating that this repentance is superficial. The text then details the specific crops destroyed by the hail: flax and barley, which were at critical stages of growth, while the later-maturing wheat and rye were spared.
Why did God spare some crops while destroying others? The timing of the hail reveals a deeper purpose beyond mere destruction.
In this plague, God shows His precise control over even the natural world and the timing of judgment. The hail destroyed the flax and barley because they were at vulnerable stages of growth: the barley was in the ear, and the flax was forming its seed vessel ('bolled'). These were the crops closest to harvest, representing immediate loss.
However, the wheat and rye were spared because they were not yet grown up. This selective destruction wasn't random; it was a message. It demonstrated God's power over the agricultural cycle of Egypt and His ability to inflict specific pain while holding back total devastation. This strategic timing aimed to pressure Pharaoh, showing him that God's wrath could be precise and devastating, yet also contained, offering a sliver of hope for repentance.
Flax and barley weren't just food; they were woven into the fabric of Egyptian life. What does their destruction reveal about God's targeting of their society?
The destruction of flax and barley wasn't just about agricultural loss; it struck at the heart of Egypt's economy and culture.
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By targeting these specific crops, God communicated that His judgment was not only spiritual but also deeply practical, aiming to disrupt the very systems that sustained Egyptian society and highlighted their dependence on earthly resources rather than the one true God.
Understand the original words
pishtah · Hebrew Noun
A plant cultivated for its fibers to make linen; in the Bible, it represents agricultural prosperity and, at times, priestly purity.
se'orah · Hebrew Noun
A cereal grain that was a staple food source in the ancient Near East; it is often one of the first crops to ripen in the agricultural cycle.
nakah · Hebrew Verb
The state of being struck or smitten; biblically, it often denotes divine judgment or discipline brought upon people, crops, or nations.
This verse pinpoints the specific agricultural damage during the plague of hail, revealing the timing of the event to be in late winter or early spring, when the barley was forming its grain and the flax was developing its seed pods.
c. 1440 BC
Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh
Moses and Aaron, led by God, repeatedly demand Pharaoh release the Israelites from slavery, facing his hardened heart and defiance.
c. 1440 BC— this verse
The Plague of Hail
God unleashes a devastating hailstorm upon Egypt, destroying livestock, people, and crops across the land, sparing only Goshen where the Israelites lived.
c. 1440 BC
Pharaoh's Partial Confession
Terrified by the hail, Pharaoh admits his sin and acknowledges God's righteousness, asking Moses to intercede for the plague to cease.
c. 1440 BC
Pharaoh's Heart Hardens Again
Once the hail stops, Pharaoh's fear subsides, and he and his officials revert to their obstinate stance, refusing to let the Israelites go.
This passage echoes the divine power displayed in the plagues, questioning Job about the storage of snow and hail. It highlights God's ultimate control over the elements, the very forces unleashed upon Egypt in this plague.
Psalm 105:33-34This psalm recounts God's mighty acts in Egypt, directly referencing the destruction of the trees and grain by hail. It serves as a memorial of God's judgment and power against Pharaoh's oppression.
Isaiah 28:24-29This passage uses agricultural imagery to describe God's methods of discipline and instruction, comparing His wisdom to that of a farmer. It illustrates how God strategically brings judgment, like hail, at specific times to teach His people.
Jeremiah 46:17This prophecy against Egypt speaks of the 'noise of the battle' and 'great destruction' coming upon them, which can be seen as a later echo of God's devastating judgments through the plagues. It shows a pattern of God's judgment on Egypt for its pride and oppression.
calvinExodus 9:27-35: "And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked."
And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's.
Tunc dixit Moses, Ubi egresses fuero ex urbe, extendam manus meas ad Jehovam: cessabunt ton…
gillExodus 9:31: "And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled."
And the flax and the barley was smitten,.... With the hail, thunder, and lightning, and were beat down, bruised, broken, and blasted, and destroyed; of the former there were great quantities produced in Egypt, which was famous for linen, much was made there, and there were many that wrought in fine flax, see Isaiah 19:9 and the latter were used not only to feed their cattle, but to ma…
The specific timing of the barley being "in the ear" and the flax "bolled" (meaning in bud or forming its seed-vessel) highlights that the hail didn't just hit any crops. It struck the ones that were closest to harvest, demonstrating God's precise judgment and the devastating impact on Egypt's immediate agricultural wealth. This detail reveals that God's plagues weren't random destruction but targeted blows affecting what was most valuable and ripe for the taking.
Pharaoh has just confessed his sin and acknowledged God's righteousness, begging Moses to stop the terrible hail. Moses then withdraws to pray, promising that the storm will cease, and instructs Pharaoh that he and his servants still do not fear God, indicating that this repentance is superficial. The text then details the specific crops destroyed by the hail: flax and barley, which were at critical stages of growth, while the later-maturing wheat and rye were spared.
Pharaoh has just confessed his sin and acknowledged God's righteousness, begging Moses to stop the terrible hail. Moses then withdraws to pray, promising that the storm will cease, and instructs Pharaoh that he and his servants still do not fear God, indicating that this repentance is superficial. The text then details the specific crops destroyed by the hail: flax and barley, which were at critical stages of growth, while the later-maturing wheat and rye were spared.
"(The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud." — The specific timing of the barley being "in the ear" and the flax "bolled" (meaning in bud or forming its seed-vessel) highlights that the hail didn't just hit any crops. It struck the ones that were…
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Last reviewed October 2026