22 Now the Lord said to Moses , "Stretch out your hand toward the sky , that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt , on man and on beast and on every plant of the field , throughout the land of Egypt ." 23 Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky , and the Lord sent thunder and hail , and fire ran down to the earth . And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt . 24 So there was hail , and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail , very severe , such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation . 25 The hail struck all that was in the field through all the land of Egypt , both man and beast ; the hail also struck every plant of the field and shattered every tree of the field . 26 Only in the land of Goshen , where e the sons of Israel were, there was no hail . 27 Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron , and said to them, " I have sinned this time ; the Lord is the righteous one , and I and my people are the wicked ones . 28 " Make supplication to the Lord , for there has been enough of God's thunder and hail ; and I will let you go , and you shall stay no longer ." 29 Moses said to him, "As soon as I go out of the city , I will spread out my hands to the Lord ; the thunder will cease and there will be hail no longer , that you may know that the earth is the Lord'S . 30 " But as for you and your servants , I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God ." 31 (Now the flax and the barley were ruined , for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud . 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not ruined , for they ripen late .) 33 So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh , and spread out his hands to the Lord ; and the thunder and the hail ceased , and rain no longer poured on the earth . 34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased , he sinned again and hardened his heart , he and his servants . 35 Pharaoh's heart was hardened , and he did not let the sons of Israel go , just as the Lord had spoken through Moses .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 9:22-35
Commentary on Exodus 9:22-35
(Read Exodus 9:22-35)
Woful havoc this hail made: it killed both men and cattle; the corn above ground was destroyed, and that only preserved which as yet was not come up. The land of Goshen was preserved. God causes rain or hail on one city and not on another, either in mercy or in judgment. Pharaoh humbled himself to Moses. No man could have spoken better: he owns himself wrong; he owns that the Lord is righteous; and God must be justified when he speaks, though he speaks in thunder and lightning. Yet his heart was hardened all this while. Moses pleads with God: though he had reason to think Pharaoh would repent of his repentance, and he told him so, yet he promises to be his friend. Moses went out of the city, notwithstanding the hail and lightning which kept Pharaoh and his servants within doors. Peace with God makes men thunder-proof. Pharaoh was frightened by the tremendous judgment; but when that was over, his fair promises were forgotten. Those that are not bettered by judgments and mercies, commonly become worse.