Exo 9 | MHM | STEP | The Plague on Egyptian Livestock Here we see God sending another plague upon Egypt because Pharaoh still refuses to let the Israelites go. This time, God targets the Egyptians' livestock. Through Moses, God warns Pharaoh of what will happen, but also makes clear that the Israelites will be protected. This shows God's power over Egypt, His care for His people, and His ability to make a clear distinction between those who serve Him and those who oppose Him. v. 1 : God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and say, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.” . God keeps repeating His demand for Israel’s freedom, showing both His patience and His determination to deliver His people.

‏ Exodus 9

The Plague on Egyptian Livestock

Here we see God sending another plague upon Egypt because Pharaoh still refuses to let the Israelites go. This time, God targets the Egyptians' livestock. Through Moses, God warns Pharaoh of what will happen, but also makes clear that the Israelites will be protected. This shows God's power over Egypt, His care for His people, and His ability to make a clear distinction between those who serve Him and those who oppose Him.

v. 1: God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and say, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.” . God keeps repeating His demand for Israel’s freedom, showing both His patience and His determination to deliver His people.

v. 2: Moses warns Pharaoh that if he refuses and continues to hold the Israelites, another plague will come . God gives Pharaoh a clear choice and a chance to avoid disaster—but Pharaoh must listen and obey.

v. 3: The next plague is described: “The hand of the Lord is upon your cattle which is in the field...there shall be a very grievous murrain (disease).” . God’s power is shown by sending a disease that will kill many of the Egyptians’ animals—horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep. This would be a huge loss for Egypt, as livestock was very important for work, food, and even religious reasons.

v. 4: God says He will make a difference between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: “And there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.” . Even though both groups live in the same land, only the Egyptians’ animals will die. This miracle shows God’s special protection of His people.

v. 5: God sets a specific time for the plague: “To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.” . By announcing the exact day, God proves that this is not a natural disaster, but a planned act of judgment from Him.

v. 6: The next day, God keeps His promise. All the cattle of Egypt die, but not one of the Israelites’ animals is harmed . This clear distinction is a sign of God’s control over life and death and His faithfulness to His word.

v. 7: Pharaoh checks to see if the Israelites’ cattle have survived. When he sees that not one of their animals has died, his heart is still hard, and he refuses to let the people go . Even when faced with proof of God’s power and mercy, Pharaoh chooses stubbornness over obedience.

Exodus 9:8−12: The Plague of Boils

This passage tells about the sixth plague that God sends on Egypt—painful boils and sores. This plague directly affects the Egyptians’ bodies after earlier plagues harmed their land and animals. The magicians, who had tried to copy God’s miracles before, are now helpless and suffer just like everyone else. Despite the suffering, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, as God warned would happen.

v. 8-9: God instructs Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of ashes from a furnace. Moses is to throw the ashes into the air in front of Pharaoh. The ashes become fine dust and cause boils and sores to break out on people and animals all over Egypt. This act is a sign that God can use anything, even ashes, to bring judgment (v. 8, 9 ^a).

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v. 10: Moses and Aaron obey God. Moses throws the ashes toward heaven, and immediately, boils break out on people and animals. The boils are very painful, showing that God can send judgments that touch people personally, not just their possessions (v. 10 ^b).

v. 11: The magicians cannot stand before Moses because they are also suffering from the boils. Their magic is useless, and they are shamed in front of everyone. Those who once tried to copy God’s miracles are now defeated and humiliated (v. 11; 2 Timothy 3:9 ^c).

v. 12: The Lord hardens Pharaoh’s heart, so he refuses to listen, just as God had said. Earlier, Pharaoh had hardened his own heart. Now, God allows him to remain stubborn as a punishment for his earlier choices. This shows how dangerous it is to keep resisting God’s warnings (v. 12 ^d).

Exodus 9:13−21: The Plague of Hail Announced

In this passage, God tells Moses to warn Pharaoh about a new and terrible plague—hail. God explains that He is sending these plagues to show His power and to make it clear that there is no one like Him in all the earth. God also gives a warning to protect people and animals by bringing them inside. Some Egyptians listen and are saved, but others ignore the warning and suffer the consequences. This shows both God’s justice and His mercy, as He gives people a chance to escape the coming disaster.

v. 13: God tells Moses to get up early and stand before Pharaoh. Moses is to deliver God’s message: “Let my people go, that they may serve me.” Even though Pharaoh’s heart is hard, God still gives him another chance to obey (v. 13 ^e).

v. 14-15: God warns Pharaoh that this time He will send all His plagues on Pharaoh’s heart, his officials, and his people. God says that Pharaoh is marked for ruin and that these plagues will show there is no one like God in all the earth. God can send not only physical plagues but also spiritual ones, making hearts hard or hopeless. When God judges, no one can resist Him (v. 14, 15 ^f).

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v. 16: God explains that He has allowed Pharaoh to remain in power to show God’s strength and to make His name known everywhere. Pharaoh’s stubbornness becomes an example to others of God’s justice and power. This is also mentioned in the New Testament (v. 16; Romans 9:17 ^g).

v. 17: Moses asks Pharaoh why he continues to exalt himself against God’s people by refusing to let them go. God will not allow anyone, even a powerful king, to oppress His people without consequences (v. 17 ^h).

v. 18-19: God announces that the next day He will send a terrible hailstorm, worse than any Egypt has ever seen. God warns Pharaoh and the Egyptians to bring their animals and servants inside to protect them from the hail. This shows God’s mercy, giving people a way to escape the judgment if they listen (v. 18, 19 ⁱ).

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v. 20: Some of Pharaoh’s officials fear the word of the Lord and bring their servants and animals inside. These people are wise because they believe God’s warning and act to protect themselves (v. 20; Hebrews 11:7 ^j).

v. 21: Others ignore the warning and leave their servants and animals in the field. These people suffer the consequences because they do not believe God’s word. This shows that ignoring God’s warnings leads to harm (v. 21 ^k).

Exodus 9:22−35: The Plague of Hail

This passage describes the seventh plague that God brings on Egypt: a terrible storm of hail mixed with fire. This storm destroys crops, animals, and people in the open fields. Only the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live, is safe. Pharaoh is so frightened that he admits his sin and asks Moses to pray for the storm to stop. But after the storm ends, Pharaoh hardens his heart again and does not let the Israelites go. This shows how God’s power is greater than any ruler, and how people can make promises during trouble but quickly forget them when the danger is gone.

v. 22-24: God tells Moses to stretch out his hand toward heaven, and a storm of hail, thunder, and fire (lightning) strikes all Egypt. The storm is worse than anything Egypt has ever seen. This shows that God controls all of nature and can use it to judge those who oppose Him (v. 22-24; Psalm 148:8 ^l).

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v. 25: The hailstorm destroys everything in the open—people, animals, plants, and trees. Only the crops that had not yet grown are spared. God can take away food and blessings in many ways (v. 25; Hosea 2:9 ^m).

v. 26: The land of Goshen, where the Israelites live, is protected from the hail. This shows God’s power to make a difference between His people and others (v. 26 ⁿ).

v. 27-28: Pharaoh is terrified and calls for Moses and Aaron. He admits that he has sinned and that the Lord is righteous. He asks Moses to pray for the storm to stop and promises to let the Israelites go. This shows that people can say the right things when they are scared, even if their hearts are not truly changed (v. 27, 28 ^o).

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v. 29-30: Moses promises to pray for the storm to end as soon as he leaves the city. He wants Pharaoh to know that the earth belongs to the Lord. But Moses also knows that Pharaoh and his officials still do not truly respect God (v. 29, 30 ^p).

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v. 31-32: The storm destroys the flax and barley because they are already grown, but the wheat and rye are not ruined because they are not yet mature. This detail shows that God’s judgments are specific and controlled (v. 31, 32 ^q).

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v. 33: Moses leaves the city and prays to God. The thunder, hail, and rain stop completely. This proves that God listens to Moses’ prayers and controls the weather (v. 33; James 5:17,18 ^r).

v. 34-35: When Pharaoh sees that the storm is over, he sins even more and hardens his heart, along with his officials. He refuses to let the Israelites go, just as God had told Moses would happen. This shows that people who are not changed by God’s judgments and kindness often become even more stubborn (v. 34, 35 ^s).