Exodus 9

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of the Hebrews [the descendants of Eber], says: ‘Let My people [the nation of Israel] go, so that they may worship [serve, give reverence to] Me [as their supreme Lord]. word study 2 But if [in the event that, for] you continue [persist, refuse to change] to restrain [hold them back, keep in your power] them and refuse [be unwilling, decline] to let them go [send them away, release them from bondage], word study 3 then the hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] will bring a severe [very heavy, exceedingly grievous] plague [pestilence, disease] on your livestock [cattle, domestic animals] in the field [a flat area of land used for cultivation]—on your horses [used for riding or chariots], donkeys [male asses], camels [used for riding or carrying loads], herds [domesticated cattle or oxen], and flocks [a group of sheep or goats]. word study 4 But the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will make a distinction [be distinguished, separated from others] between [showing a choice or location] the livestock [cattle, sheep, and goats, domestic animals] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob and his descendants] and the livestock [cattle, sheep, and goats, domestic animals] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], so that no animal [not a single creature] belonging to the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob] will die [cease to exist, experience physical death].’” word study 5 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] set [appointed, fixed] a time [meeting, appointed season], saying, “Tomorrow [a future time, the next day] the LORD [the supreme God] will do [make, bring about] this [specific] in the land [the earth, a country].” word study 6 And the next day [morrow, the following day] the LORD [Yehovah] did just that [as He had said, according to His word]. All [every single one, the entire] the livestock [cattle, domestic animals] of the Egyptians died [perished, came to an end], but not one [none, no single] animal belonging to the Israelites [sons of Israel, God’s chosen people] died [met its end, ceased to exist]. word study 7 Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] sent [dispatched, commanded] officials and found that none [not one, no] of the livestock [cattle, domestic animals] of the Israelites [Jacob’s descendants, God’s chosen people] had died [perished, come to an end]. But Pharaoh’s heart [inner being, mind, and will] was hardened [made stubborn, obstinate], and he would not let [release, set free] the people [nation, community] go [depart, leave]. word study 8 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] and Aaron [the brother of Moses and the first high priest], “Take handfuls [fullness of the palm] of soot [powder that can be easily blown away] from the furnace [a hot oven, kiln]; in the sight [before the eyes] of Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader], Moses is to toss [scatter, sprinkle] it into the air [toward the heaven, the visible universe]. word study 9 It will become fine dust [small particles, like powder] over all [every part of] the land [soil, ground, country] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], and festering boils [painful blisters, inflamed spots] will break out on man [human beings, Adam’s descendants] and beast [animals, livestock] throughout [in every area of] the land [territory, region].” word study 10 So they took soot [ashes, powder from the furnace] from the furnace [kiln, hot oven] and stood [presented themselves, took a position] before Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader]. Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant] tossed [scattered, sprinkled] it into the air, and festering boils [painful blisters, inflamed spots] broke out on man [humanity, people] and beast [animals, livestock]. word study 11 The magicians [sorcerers, wonder-workers] could not stand [be present, endure] before Moses [the Israelite leader], because the boils [inflamed spots, scabs] had broken out [appeared, were inflicted] on them and on all [every, the entire nation of] the Egyptians [the people of Egypt, the Egyptian nation]. word study 12 But the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] hardened [strengthened, made stubborn] Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt] heart [the seat of feelings, will, and intellect], and he would not [refused to] listen [hear and obey] to them, just as the LORD [the supreme God] had said [spoken, commanded] to Moses [the Israelite leader]. word study 13 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Get up early [at the break of day] in the morning, stand [present yourself] before Pharaoh, and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of the Hebrews [the descendants of Eber], says: ‘Let My people [My nation, those I have chosen] go, so that they may worship [serve, give reverence to] Me. word study 14 Otherwise [for this reason, at this time], I will send [direct, unleash] all My plagues [punishments, judgments] against you and your officials [servants, leaders] and your people [nation, community], so you may know [understand, recognize] that there is no one [nothing, none] like Me [similar to, comparable with] in all [the entirety of] the earth [land, world]. word study 15 For by this time [now, at this moment] I could have stretched out My hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] and struck you and your people [Amaw, a nation] with a plague [pestilence, a disease] to wipe you off the earth [the land, from the face of the earth]. word study 16 But [however, in contrast] I have raised you up [to stand, appointed thee] for this very purpose [because of this, for this cause], that I might display [show, demonstrate] My power [strength, might] to you, and that My name [identity, character] might be proclaimed [declared, spoken of] in all [every part of] the earth [land, world]. word study 17 Still [yet, continuing in pride], you lord it over [exalt yourself against, uplifted in pride against] My people [My nation, Amaw] and do not allow [refuse to let, lest] them to go [to send them away, to depart]. word study 18 Behold [look, take notice], at this time [this moment, now] tomorrow [the next day, a future time] I will rain down [send, cause to fall] the worst [most severe, very grievous] hail [ice storm, heavy hailstones] that has ever fallen [occurred, come down] on Egypt [the land of the Egyptians], from the day [the time, when] it was founded [established, created] until now [this present time, today]. word study 19 So give orders now [at this time, without delay] to shelter [protect, bring to a safe place] your livestock [cattle, domestic animals] and everything you have in the field [outdoors, in the open land]. Every man [person, human being] or beast [animal, living creature] that remains in the field [outside, unprotected] and is not brought inside [gathered, collected] will die [perish, meet their end] when the hail [a sign of God’s judgment, a destructive storm] comes down upon them [falls on, strikes].’” word study 20 Those among Pharaoh’s officials [servants, slaves] who feared [stood in awe of, revered] the word [Yehovah’s command, divine message] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] hurried [made haste, quickly] to bring their servants [slaves, attendants] and livestock [cattle, domestic animals] to shelter [houses, a place of safety], word study 21 but those who [did not heed] disregarded the word [divine message, command] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] left their [own, personal] servants [slaves, attendants] and livestock [cattle, animals] in the field [open land, pasture]. word study 22 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Stretch out [extend, spread out] your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] toward heaven [the visible universe, the abode of God], so that hail [a sign of God’s judgment] may fall on all [everything, the whole] the land [the soil, ground, or country] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]—on man [the first human, created by God] and beast [large quadruped mammals, livestock] and every plant [vegetation, growth] of the field [a flat area of land used for cultivation] throughout [in every part of] the land of Egypt [the country and its people].” word study 23 So Moses [the Israelite leader] stretched out his staff toward heaven [the visible universe and the abode of God], and the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] sent thunder [a voice of power] and hail [a sign of God’s judgment], and lightning [fire from heaven] struck the earth [the land, the material world]. So the LORD rained down hail [ice stones] upon the land [the territory, the region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 24 The hail [ice-storm, very grievous] fell and the lightning [fire mingled with the hail] continued flashing through it. The hail [so severe, like none before] was so severe [heavy, exceedingly] that nothing like it [such as had not been] had ever been seen in all [the whole of] the land [earth, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] from the time [since, then] it became a nation [Gentile, a large group]. word study 25 Throughout the land [territory, region] of Egypt, the hail [a sign of God’s judgment] struck down [smote, hit] everything [all, every living thing] in the field [cultivated land, countryside], both man [human, person] and beast [animal, livestock]; it beat down [destroyed, shattered] every plant [vegetation, growth] of the field and stripped [broke, shattered] every tree [wood, sturdy object]. word study 26 The only [except, alone] place where it did not [was no, existed no] hail [ice-storm] was in the land [region, territory] of Goshen [drawing near, approaching], where the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] lived [resided, dwelt]. word study 27 Then Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] summoned Moses and Aaron [the brother of Moses and first high priest]. “This time [on this occasion, in this instance] I have sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong],” he said. “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is righteous [just, morally upright], and I and my people [my nation, my community] are wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin]. word study 28 Pray [make supplication, entreat] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], for there has been enough [sufficient, it is enough] of God’s [Elohim, the one supreme God] thunder [mighty thunderings, voices of God] and hail [a sign of God’s judgment]. I will let you go [send you away, release you]; you do not need [it is not necessary] to stay [stand, remain] any longer [to add or continue].” word study 29 Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant] said to him, “When I have left [gone out of, departed from] the city, I will spread out [stretch forth, extend] my hands [palms, in prayer and supplication] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] [toward Him, in reverence and worship]. The thunder [voices, sounds of judgment] will cease [stop, come to an end], and there will be no more [not any, none] hail [a sign of God’s power and judgment], so that you may know [understand, recognize] that the earth [land, the material world, God’s creation] is the LORD’s [belonging to Yehovah, under His sovereignty]. word study 30 But as for you [the one I am addressing directly] and your officials [servants, slaves], I know [am aware, have discerned] that you still do not fear [revere, stand in awe of] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] our God [Elohim, the supreme deity].” word study 31 (Now the flax [a plant used for linen or lamp wicks] and barley [a staple grain] were destroyed [smitten, struck], since the barley [young grain] was ripe [in the ear, abib] and the flax [with buds, in bloom] was in bloom [bolled, flowering]; word study 32 but the wheat [or spelt, a type of grain] and spelt [rye, a wheat-like crop] were not destroyed [smitten, struck], because they are [considered] late crops [not yet mature, still growing].) word study 33 Then Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] departed from Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader with great authority], went out of the city [a place with a wall or a watchman], and spread out his hands [the palm of the hand, a gesture of prayer] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. The thunder [a voice or sound, a sign of God’s power] and hail ceased [to stop or end something], and the rain [water that falls from the sky] no longer poured down [to flow forth, to be emptied] on the land [the soil or ground, a country, territory, or region]. word study 34 When Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] saw that the rain [water from the sky] and hail [a sign of God’s judgment] and thunder [a powerful voice] had ceased [stopped, come to an end], he sinned [missed the mark, went wrong] again and hardened [made stubborn, unresponsive] his heart [the center of feelings, will, and intellect]—he and his officials [servants, those under his authority]. word study 35 So Pharaoh’s [hard and unyielding] heart [the seat of feelings, will, and intellect] was hardened [strengthened in resolve], and he would not [refused to] let the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] go, just as [in accordance with] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had said [spoken, communicated] through Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet]. word study