13 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Rise early in the morning, and station thyself before Pharaoh, and thou hast said unto him, Thus said Jehovah, God of the Hebrews, Send My people away, and they serve Me, 14 for, at this time I am sending all My plagues unto thy heart, and on thy servants, and on thy people, so that thou knowest that there is none like Me in all the earth, 15 for now I have put forth My hand, and I smite thee, and thy people, with pestilence, and thou art hidden from the earth. 16 'And yet for this I have caused thee to stand, so as to show thee My power, and for the sake of declaring My Name in all the earth; 17 still thou art exalting thyself against My people—so as not to send them away; 18 lo, I am raining about 'this' time to-morrow hail very grievous, such as hath not been in Egypt, even from the day of its being founded, even until now. 19 'And, now, send, strengthen thy cattle and all that thou hast in the field; every man and beast which is found in the field, and is not gathered into the house—come down on them hath the hail, and they have died.' 20 He who is fearing the word of Jehovah among the servants of Pharaoh hath caused his servants and his cattle to flee unto the houses; 21 and he who hath not set his heart unto the word of Jehovah leaveth his servants and his cattle in the field.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 9:13-21
Commentary on Exodus 9:13-21
(Read Exodus 9:13-21)
Moses is here ordered to deliver a dreadful message to Pharaoh. Providence ordered it, that Moses should have a man of such a fierce and stubborn spirit as this Pharaoh to deal with; and every thing made it a most signal instance of the power of God has to humble and bring down the proudest of his enemies. When God's justice threatens ruin, his mercy at the same time shows a way of escape from it. God not only distinguished between Egyptians and Israelites, but between some Egyptians and others. If Pharaoh will not yield, and so prevent the judgment itself, yet those that will take warning, may take shelter. Some believed the things which were spoken, and they feared, and housed their servants and cattle, and it was their wisdom. Even among the servants of Pharaoh, some trembled at God's word; and shall not the sons of Israel dread it? But others believed not, and left their cattle in the field. Obstinate unbelief is deaf to the fairest warnings, and the wisest counsels, which leaves the blood of those that perish upon their own heads.