Shared Word Translation
Exodus 9
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and speak to him: ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, look: the hand of the LORD will be against your livestock in the field—against the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks—a very severe plague. But the LORD will make a distinction between Israel’s livestock and Egypt’s livestock; not one thing belonging to the Israelites will die.’”
And the LORD set an appointed time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.” The next day the LORD did this thing: all the livestock of Egypt died, but not one of the livestock of the Israelites died. Pharaoh sent, and look: not even one of Israel’s livestock had died. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of soot from a furnace, and let Moses throw it toward the heavens in Pharaoh’s sight. It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and it will become festering boils on people and animals throughout all the land of Egypt.”
So they took soot from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses threw it toward the heavens, and it became festering boils on people and animals. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. But the LORD strengthened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, that they may serve me. For this time I am sending all my plagues against your heart, against your servants, and against your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with plague, and you would have been cut off from the earth. Yet for this reason I have made you stand: to show you my power, and so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. Do you still exalt yourself over my people, refusing to let them go? Look: about this time tomorrow I will rain down very heavy hail, such as has never been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. Now send word; bring your livestock and all that you have in the field under shelter. Every person and animal found in the field and not gathered into the house—when the hail comes down on them—will die.’”
Whoever among Pharaoh’s servants feared the word of the LORD brought their servants and livestock into the houses. But whoever did not set their heart on the word of the LORD left their servants and livestock in the field.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the heavens, that there may be hail throughout all the land of Egypt—upon people, animals, and every plant of the field in the land of Egypt.”
Moses stretched out his staff toward the heavens, and the LORD gave thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. The LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. There was hail, and fire flashing in the midst of the hail, very severe—such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt everything that was in the field, from people to animals. The hail struck every plant of the field and shattered every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were, was there no hail.
Then Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron. He said to them, “I have sinned this time. The LORD is righteous; I and my people are wicked. Plead with the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you will not remain any longer.” Moses said to him, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD. The thunder will cease, and the hail will be no more, so that you may know that the earth belongs to the LORD. But as for you and your servants, I know that you still will not fear the LORD God.”
Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in ear and the flax was in bloom. But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they were late crops.
Then Moses went out from Pharaoh, out of the city, and spread out his hands to the LORD. The thunder and the hail ceased, and rain did not pour down upon the earth. But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he continued to sin, and he made his heart heavy—he and his servants. Pharaoh’s heart was strengthened, and he did not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.