The big picture
Exodus 9 opens in verse 1 with “Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 18 with “Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as…”, and closes in verse 35 with “And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, hail, Moses, Pharaoh, Egypt. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Exodus · King James Version · 35Exodus 9:1-7
1–7: The LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith…
Exodus 9:1–7 opens with “Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the…” and reaches “And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 9 develops its own movement around LORD, hail, Moses, Pharaoh, Egypt, with particular weight carried by LORD, cattle, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people…” Naming Hebrews keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Exodus 9:1-7
King James Version1Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,
3Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
4And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.
5And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.
6And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.
7And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
Exodus 9:8-14
8–14: The LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes…
Exodus 9:8–14 opens with “And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and…” and reaches “For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 9 develops its own movement around LORD, hail, Moses, Pharaoh, Egypt, with particular weight carried by Moses, LORD, Pharaoh.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it…” Naming Moses and Aaron keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a…” Naming Moses and Pharaoh keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Exodus 9:8-14
King James Version8And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.
9And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
10And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.
11And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
12And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
13And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
14For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
Exodus 9:15-21
15–21: For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people…
Exodus 9:15–21 opens with “For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and…” and reaches “And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 9 develops its own movement around LORD, hail, Moses, Pharaoh, Egypt, with particular weight carried by cattle, field, servants.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared…” The line’s distinctive content terms include cause, declared, deed. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
Exodus 9:15-21
King James Version15For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
16And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
17As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
18Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.
19Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
20He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:
21And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.
Exodus 9:22-28
22–28: The LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that…
Exodus 9:22–28 opens with “And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in…” and reaches “Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 9 develops its own movement around LORD, hail, Moses, Pharaoh, Egypt, with particular weight carried by hail, land, Egypt.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt…” Naming Egypt and Moses keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the…” Naming Egypt and Moses keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Exodus 9:22-28
King James Version22And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
23And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
24So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
25And 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.
26Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.
27And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
28Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
Exodus 9:29-35
29–35: Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread…
Exodus 9:29–35 opens with “And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands…” and reaches “And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Exodus 9 develops its own movement around LORD, hail, Moses, Pharaoh, Egypt, with particular weight carried by LORD, hail, Moses.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD ; and the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Exodus 9:29-35
King James Version29And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD ; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD’s .
30But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.
31And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.
32But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.
33And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD : and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
34And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
35And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Exodus 9:1 begins with “Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.”
Where the chapter turns
Exodus 9:18 forms a natural hinge: “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 foundation thereof even until now.”
The final note
Exodus 9:35 leaves the reader with “And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, hail, Moses, Pharaoh, Egypt, cattle help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who is included in the covenant?
Noah, his descendants and every living creature. Trace the repeated wording in verses 8-17.
Why does verse 6 matter after the flood?
It grounds the protection of every human life in the continuing divine image.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.