Chapter 9
1Then AO said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and [have Aaron] tell him that this is what AO the God of the Hebrews says: ‘Let My people go so that they may worship Me.
2But if you continue to restrain them and refuse to let them go
3then the hand of AO will bring a severe plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, herds and flocks.
4But AO will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt so that no [animal] belonging to the Israelites will die.’”
5AO set a time saying, “Tomorrow AO will do this in the land.”
6And the next day AO did just that. All the livestock of the Egyptians died but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.
7Pharaoh sent officials and found that none of the livestock of the Israelites had died. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not let the people go.
8Then AO said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the furnace. Moses is to toss it into the air in the sight of Pharaoh.
9It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt and will break out festering boils on man and beast throughout the land.”
10So they took soot from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air and festering boils broke out on man and beast.
11The magicians could not stand before Moses because the boils had broken out on [them] and on all the Egyptians.
12But AO hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to them just as AO had said to Moses.
13Then AO said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh and [have Aaron] tell him that this is what AO the God of the Hebrews says: ‘Let My people go so that they may worship Me.
14Otherwise I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people so you may know that [there is] no one like Me in all the earth.
15For by this time I could have stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the earth.
16But for this very purpose I have raised you up that I might display to you My power and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
17Still you lord it over My people and do not allow them to go.
18Behold, at this time tomorrow, I will rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen on Egypt from the day it was founded until now.
19So give orders {now} to shelter your livestock and everything you have in the field. Every man or beast that remains in the field and is not brought inside will die when the hail comes down upon them.’”
20Those among Pharaoh’s officials who feared the word of AO hurried to bring their servants and livestock to shelter
21but those who disregarded the word of AO left their servants and livestock in the field.
22Then AO said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that hail may fall on the land of Egypt—on man and beast and every plant of the field throughout the land of Egypt.”
23So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven and AO sent thunder and hail and lightning struck the earth. So AO rained down hail upon the land of Egypt.
24The hail fell and the lightning continued flashing through it. The hail was so severe that nothing like it had ever been [seen] in all the land of Egypt from the time it became a nation.
25Throughout the land of Egypt the hail struck down everything in the field—both man and beast—[it] beat down every plant and stripped every tree of the field.
26The only place where it did not hail was in the land of Goshen where the Israelites [lived].
27Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron; he said, “This time I have sinned. AO [is] righteous and my people [are] wicked.
28Pray to AO for there has been enough thunder and hail. I will let you go—you do not need to stay any longer.”
29Moses [Aaron] said to him, “When I [we] have left the city, I [Moses] will spread out my hands to AO. The thunder will cease and there will be no more hail so that you may know that the earth [is] AO’s.
30But as for you and your officials, I know that you still do not fear AO our God.”
31(Now the flax and barley were destroyed since barley was ripe and the flax [was] in bloom
32but the wheat and spelt were not destroyed because they are late crops.)
33Then Moses [and Aaron] departed from Pharaoh, [went] out of the city and [Moses] spread out his hands to AO. The thunder and hail ceased and the rain no longer poured down on the land.
34When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart—he and his officials.
35So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not let the Israelites go just as AO had said through Moses.