Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 9:13-19

"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will this time send all my plagues upon thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. For now I had put forth my hand, and smitten thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou hadst been cut off from the earth: but in very deed for this cause have I made thee to stand, to show thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? Behold, to-morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now. Now therefore send, hasten in thy cattle and all that thou hast in the field; [for] every man and beast that shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die." — Exodus 9:13-19 (ASV)

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE.

The plagues fall into triads, or groups of three. This is the first plague of the third group, and presents to us several new features.

1. It is ushered in with an unusually long and extremely dreadful message (Exodus 9:13–19), in which Pharaoh is warned that God is now about to send all His plagues upon his heart, and that he has been raised up simply that God may demonstrate His power in him.
2. It is the first plague that attacks human life, and it does this on a large scale: all those exposed to it perish (Exodus 9:19).
3. It is more destructive to property than any previous plague. It not only slays cattle, like the murrain, but destroys plants and trees (Exodus 9:25), and ruins half the harvest (Exodus 9:31).
4. It is accompanied with terrible demonstrations—mighty thunderings, huge hailstones, rain, and fire that runs along upon the ground (Exodus 9:23).
5. It is made to test the degree of faith that the Egyptians have attained, by means of a revelation of the way by which it may be escaped (Exodus 9:20).

Though the plagues do not form a regularly ascending series, each transcending the last, yet there is a certain progression observable. The earlier ones cause annoyance rather than injury; those which follow cause loss of property; then God’s hand is laid on people themselves, so as to hurt, but not to kill; lastly, life itself is attacked. The seventh plague was particularly astonishing and alarming to the Egyptians, because hail and thunder, even rain, were rare phenomena in their country; and a thunderstorm accompanied by such features as characterized this one was absolutely unknown.

The hailstones must have been of an enormous size and weight to kill men and cattle. The fire infolding itself amid the hail must indicate a very unusual form of electrical phenomenon. It is not surprising that this visitation brought down the pride of Pharaoh more than any preceding one, and made him for the time consent unconditionally to the people’s departure (Exodus 9:28).