9:1This was the fifth time God sent Moses back to Pharaoh with the demand “Let my people go.” By this time, Moses may have been tired and discouraged, but he continued to obey. Is there a difficult conflict you must face again and again? Don't give up when you know what is right to do. As Moses discovered, persistence is rewarded.
Life Application Study BibleExodusChapter 9
Exodus 9
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 108, 109, 110
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
9Exodus 9
A Plague against Livestock
19 “Go back to Pharaoh,” the LORD commanded Moses. “Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, 2yoq 8:1; 10:3 the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. 2If you continue to hold them and refuse to let them go, 3the hand of the LORD will strike all your live- 23 |, stock—your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—with a deadly plague. 4But 5, the LORD will again make a distinction between the livestock of the Israelites and that of the Exod 8:23; 9:26 Egyptians. Nota single one of Israel's animals will die! 5The LORD has already set the time for the plague to begin. He has declared that he will strike the land tomorrow.’” 6And the LORD did just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but the Israelites didn’t lose a single animal. 7Pharaoh sent his officials to investigate, Zyoq 7:14; a:32 and they discovered that the Israelites had not lost a single animal! But even so, Pharaoh's heart remained stubborn,* and he still refused to let the people go.
A Plague of Festering Boils
88Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot froma brick kiln, and have 9:9 Moses toss it into the air while Pharaoh watches. 9The ashes will spread like fine dust over [ey 19.18 the whole land of Egypt, causing festering boils to break out on people and animals Rev 16:2 throughout the land.” 10S they took soot from a brick kiln and went and stood before Pharaoh. As Pharaoh watched, Moses threw the soot into the air, and boils broke out on people and animals alike. ‘Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had bro- et eta ken out on them and all the Egyptians.!2But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and just as the LORD had predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.
A Plague of Hail
13Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. ‘If you don't, I will send more plagues on you* and your officials and your people. Then you will know that there is no one like me in all the earth. ‘5By now I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth. 16But I have spared you for a purpose—-to show you my power* and to spread my fame throughout the earth.!7But you still lord it over my people and refuse to let them go. 18So tomorrow at this time I will send a hailstorm more devastating than any in all the history of Egypt. 19Quick! Order your livestock and servants to come in from the fields to find shelter. Any person or animal left outside will die when the hail falls.’” 20Some of Pharaoh's officials were afraid because of what the LORD had said. They quickly brought their servants and livestock in from the fields. 21But those who paid no attention to the word of the LORD left theirs out in the open. 22Then the LORD said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward the sky so hail may fall on the peo- — ple, the livestock, and all the plants throughout the land of Egypt.” 23S Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed toward the earth. The LORD senta tremendous hailstorm against all the land of Egypt. 24Never inall the history of Egypt had there been a storm like that, with such devastating hail and continuous lightning. 25It left all of Egypt in ruins. The hail struck down everything in the open field—people, animals, and plants alike. Even the trees were destroyed. 26The only place without hail was the region of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived. 27Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he confessed. “The LORD is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong. 28Please beg the LORD to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We've had enough. I will let you go; you don't need to stay any longer.” 28" All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the LORD. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know that the earth belongs to the LORD. 30But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God.” 31(All the flax and barley were ruined by the hail, because the barley had formed heads and the flax was budding. 32But the wheat and the emmer wheat were spared, because they had not yet sprouted from the ground.) 33So Moses left Pharaoh's court and went out of the city. When he lifted his hands to the LORD, the thunder and hail stopped, and the downpour ceased. 34But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn.* 3Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people jeave, just as the LORD had predicted through Moses.
Textual footnotes
- 9:7 Hebrew heavy.
- 9:14 Hebrew on your heart.
- 9:16 Greek version reads to display my power in you; compare Rom 9:17.
- 9:34 Hebrew made his heart heavy.
Life Application Notes 2 notes
9:12God gave Pharaoh many opportunities to heed Moses’ warnings. But finally God seemed to say, “All right, Pharaoh, have it your way,” and Pharaoh’s heart became permanently hardened. Did God intentionally harden Pharaoh’s heart and overrule his free will? No, he simply confirmed that Pharaoh freely chose a life of resisting God. Similarly, after a lifetime of resisting God, you may find it impossible to turn to him. Don't wait until just the right time before turning to God. Do it now while you still have the chance. if you continually ignore God’s voice, eventually you wilt be unable to hear it at all. damage to ourselves and to others if we pretend to change but don’t mean it.
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 109
THE PLAGUES ON EGYPT
Reference 7:14-24 8:1-15 8:16-19
Plague Blood Frogs Gnats
What Happened Fish die, the river smells, the people are without water Frogs come up from the water and completely cover the land All the dust of Egypt becomes a massive swarm of gnats Swarms of flies cover the land All the Egyptian livestock die—but none of Israel’s is even sick Horrible boils break out on everyone in Egypt Hailstorms kill all the slaves and animals left out or unprotected and strip or destroy almost every plant Locusts cover Egypt and eat everything left after the hail Total darkness covers Egypt for three days so no one can even move—except the Hebrews, who have light as usual The firstborn of all the people and cattie of Egypt die—but Israel is spared
Result Pharaoh’s magicians duplicate the miracle by “their magic,” and Pharaoh is unmoved Again Pharaoh’s magicians duplicate the miracle by sorcery, and Pharaoh is unmoved Magicians are unable to duplicate this; they say it is the “finger of God,” but Pharaoh’s heart remains hard Pharaoh promises to let the Hebrews go but then hardens his heart and refuses Pharaoh still refuses to let the people go Magicians cannot respond because they are struck down with boils as well—Pharaoh refuses to listen Pharaoh admits his sin but then changes his mind and refuses to let Israel go Everyone advises Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go, but God hardens Pharaoh’s heart and he refuses Pharaoh again promises to let Israel go but again changes his mind Pharaoh and the Egyptians urge Israel to leave quickly; after they are gone, Pharaoh again changes his mind and chases after them
Flies Livestock Boils
Hail
Locusts
Darkness
Death of Firstborn
11:1-12:33
Study feature · page 110
9:20, 21. If all the Egyptian livestock were killed in the earlier plague (9:6), how could the slaves of Pharaoh bring their livestock in from the fields? The answer is probably that the earlier plague killed all the animals in the fields (9:3) but not those in the shelters. 9:27-34 After promising to let the Hebrews go, Pharaoh immediately broke his promise and brought even more trouble upon the land. His actions reveal that his repentance was not real. We do