THE BOOK OF EXODUS

Exodus Chapter 9

1 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, Go to Pharaoh, and tell him, The LORD God of the Hebrews says this, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

2 For if you refuse to let them go, and continue to hold them,

3 Behold, the hand of the LORD will fall upon your cattle that are in the field, upon the horses, upon the donkeys, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there will be a very serious plague.

4 But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt: and nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.

5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.

6 And on the next day the LORD did this thing, and all the livestock of Egypt began dying: but not a single one of the animals of the children of Israel died.

7 And Pharaoh sent to find out, and, behold, not one of the animals of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

8 ¶ And the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, Take handfuls of ashes from the kiln, and let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.

9 And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall become boils breaking out in sores on man, and on beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

10 And they took ashes from the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became boils breaking out in sores on man, and on beast.

11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of their boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians.

12 But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them; just as the LORD had told Moses.

13 ¶ And the LORD said to Moses, Get up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, The LORD God of the Hebrews says this, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

14 For this time I am sending all my plagues to reach your heart, and your servants, and your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.

15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand, and struck you and your people with a plague; and you would have been cut off from the earth.

16 But I have let you live for this reason, to show you my power; that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

17 Since you are still exalting yourself against my people, and will not let them go,

18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause a very heavy downpour of hail to fall, such as has never been in Egypt from its beginning until now.

19 Therefore send orders now, and gather in your cattle, and all that you have in the field; for every man and beast that is in the field, and not brought in, will be struck by the hail, and they will die.

20 Then those among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD made their servants and livestock flee to shelters:

21 But those who had no regard for the word of the LORD left their servants and cattle in the field.

22 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on beast, and on every plant in the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

23 And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

24 So there was hail, and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

25 And throughout all the land of Egypt the hail struck down everything that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail beat down every plant of the field, and broke every tree of the field.

26 There was only no hail in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were.

27 And Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, This time I have sinned: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

28 Pray to the LORD, that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail, for there has been enough; and I will let you go, you shall stay no longer.

29 And Moses said to him, As soon as I leave the city, I will stretch out my hands to the LORD; and the thunder will cease, and there will not be any more hail; that you may know how 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 And the flax and the barley were ruined: for the barley had formed ears, and the flax had bloomed.

32 But the wheat and the rye were not ruined: because they were not far along.

33 So Moses left the city and Pharaoh, and stretched out his hands to the LORD: and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured upon the earth.

34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had foretold through Moses.