Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 9:25

"And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field." — Exodus 9:25 (ASV)

The hail ... brake every tree of the field. —What is meant is, not that the hail “brake the mightiest trees to fragments” (Millington, Plagues of Egypt, p. 135), but that it broke off the small boughs and twigs, so damaging the trees and, if they were fruit-trees, destroying the prospect of fruit.