He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just mention hail and lightning; it contrasts them with what Egypt normally received. Instead of the life-giving rain they might expect from their beloved Nile, God sent destructive hail, and the "flaming fire" was not just lightning but literally fire that struck the ground. This highlights how God’s judgment actively replaced normal provision with terrifying destruction.
He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a psalm recounting God's faithfulness to Israel, specifically highlighting His mighty acts during the Exodus from Egypt. It describes the plagues God sent upon Egypt, a series of devastating judgments that ultimately paved the way for His people's deliverance. The psalm emphasizes that these were not random events but direct actions of God, demonstrating His power over nature and His determination to free His chosen people.
God's power isn't limited to gentle rain. Sometimes, His actions transform from life-giving to life-threatening for those who defy Him.
In Psalm 105, we see God recounting His mighty acts for Israel, but interwoven are the plagues He brought upon Egypt. This verse, describing hail and fiery lightning, highlights a crucial aspect of God's character: His judgment. While He blesses His people with provision (like rain in due season, as mentioned in Leviticus 26:4), His power can also be unleashed as a fierce judgment against those who resist Him.
The hail described here wasn't just a weather event; it was God's direct action, a 'gift' of destruction in place of a 'gift' of life-sustaining rain. This demonstrates that even the elements can be instruments of God's will, whether for blessing or for judgment.
Was this just a severe storm, or something more? The text points to a divine hand at work, far beyond natural explanation.
The account in Exodus, which Psalm 105 echoes, emphasizes that this was no ordinary hailstorm. Egypt, largely dependent on the Nile for water and not typically prone to severe hail or storms, experienced something utterly unnatural. The 'flaming fire' mingled with the hail signifies intense lightning, a terrifying phenomenon that ran along the ground.
Commentaries highlight that such an event, especially in a region unaccustomed to it, declared God's power over the natural order. It wasn't just meteorological; it was miraculous. The word 'spake' in related verses (like Psalm 105:31, 34) underscores that these plagues were direct commands from God, not random occurrences.
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Understand the original words
barad · Hebrew Noun
Precipitation in the form of ice, used in Scripture as an instrument of divine judgment and warfare. It represents the reversal of the natural order and the sudden manifestation of God’s wrath against the land.
esh · Hebrew Noun
Fire and lightning are manifestations of the presence and power of God, often symbolizing His holiness, judgment, and refining power. They represent a destructive force that the earth cannot withstand when God executes justice.
This verse recounts one of the ten plagues God sent upon Egypt. The hail and lightning were not just natural disasters, but divine judgments designed to demonstrate God's power over Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt, paving the way for His people's liberation.
c. 1446 BC
Israel's Exodus from Egypt
After centuries of slavery, God miraculously led the Israelites out of Egypt under Moses. This event marked their liberation and the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land.
c. 1446 BC
The Ten Plagues of Egypt
Leading up to the Exodus, God sent ten devastating plagues upon Egypt to break Pharaoh's will and demonstrate His power.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Seventh Plague: Hail and Fire
As part of the ten plagues, God sent a violent storm of hail mixed with fiery lightning, which struck down people, livestock, and crops across Egypt. This plague was particularly destructive to the land.
c. 1446 BC
Israel's Journey in the Wilderness
Following their liberation, the Israelites spent forty years wandering in the wilderness, during which God continued to provide for and protect them.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
After the wilderness wanderings, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, conquered the land of Canaan, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham.
This passage directly describes the plague of hail and fire sent upon Egypt, mirroring the actions mentioned in Psalm 105:32 as part of God's judgment.
Psalm 78:47-48This psalm also recounts God's plagues upon Egypt, specifically mentioning hail and fire (lightning), reinforcing the theme of divine judgment against oppressors.
Revelation 16:21This prophetic passage describes a great hailstorm as part of God's final judgment, drawing a parallel to the hail and fire sent on Egypt in Psalm 105:32 as a demonstration of God's power over His enemies.
Jeremiah 10:13This verse describes God making His thunder and lightning, connecting the powerful natural phenomena of hail and fire in Psalm 105:32 to God's direct command and power over the elements.
cambridgePsalms 105:32: "He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land."
32, 33 . The seventh plague, of hail accompanied by thunder and lightning, Exodus 9:13 ff., Exodus 9:25-26 ; cp. Psalm 78:47-48 .
poolePsalms 105:32: "He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land."
No text from Poole on this verse.
The verse doesn't just mention hail and lightning; it contrasts them with what Egypt normally received. Instead of the life-giving rain they might expect from their beloved Nile, God sent destructive hail, and the "flaming fire" was not just lightning but literally fire that struck the ground. This highlights how God’s judgment actively replaced normal provision with terrifying destruction.
This verse is part of a psalm recounting God's faithfulness to Israel, specifically highlighting His mighty acts during the Exodus from Egypt. It describes the plagues God sent upon Egypt, a series of devastating judgments that ultimately paved the way for His people's deliverance. The psalm emphasizes that these were not random events but direct actions of God, demonstrating His power over nature and His determination to free His chosen people.
This verse is part of a psalm recounting God's faithfulness to Israel, specifically highlighting His mighty acts during the Exodus from Egypt. It describes the plagues God sent upon Egypt, a series of devastating judgments that ultimately paved the way for His people's deliverance. The psalm emphasizes that these were not random events but direct actions of God, demonstrating His power over nature and His determination to free His chosen people.
"He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land." — The verse doesn't just mention hail and lightning; it contrasts them with what Egypt normally received. Instead of the life-giving rain they might expect from their beloved Nile, God sent destructive…
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Last reviewed October 2026