Open English Translation EXO Chapter 9

9 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Go in to Far’oh and tell him: ‘This is what the god of the Hebrews. Yahweh, says: Let my people go so they can serve me. 2 Certainly if you’re unwilling to release them and if you keep holding onto them, 3 then listen. Yahweh is about to inflict a very serious plague on your livestock which are in the fields—on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the cattle, and on the flock. 4 But Yahweh will distinguish between the livestock of the Israelis and the Egyptians—none of the Israelis’ animals will die.’ ” 5 Then Yahweh said when it would happen, “Yahweh will do this to Egypt tomorrow.”

6 So the next day Yahweh did what he’d said and all of the livestock of the Egyptians died, yet none at all from the livestock of the Israelis died. 7 Far’oh sent people to investigate, and wow, not even one of the livestock of the Israelis had died. But Far’oh was strong-willed and wouldn’t let the people go.

8 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon, “Take handfuls of ash out of a furnace, then Mosheh should toss it up in the air in front of Far’oh. 9 It will become a powder over all Egypt and then it will turn into boils—bursting blisters—on people and on animals all over Egypt.” 10 So they took some ash from a furnace, and standing in front of Far’oh, Mosheh tossed it up into the air and it turned into boils with bursting blisters on the people and the animals.[ref] 11 Because of the boils, the sorcerers weren’t even able to stand there with Mosheh because the sorcerers suffered with them along with all the Egyptians. 12 But Yahweh caused Far’oh to remain stubborn and he didn’t listen to them, just as Yahweh had told Mosheh previously.

13 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Get up early in the morning, and stand in front of Far’oh and say to him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the god of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go so they can serve me 14 because this time, I’m about to send all my plagues to you and your servants, and your people. You’ll all be deeply distressed by them, in order that you might know that there is no one else like me in all the world. 15 By this time, I could have reached out and struck you and your people with such a plague that you would all have been obliterated from the land. 16 However, I’ve kept you for this reason: to show you my power and in order to proclaim my name all over the world.[ref] 17 You’re still considering yourself to be greater than my people by failing to release them. 18 Now listen: I’m about to cause extremely heavy hail to rain down at this time tomorrow. It’ll be hail like which has never been seen before in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. 19 So send for your livestock and everything you own in the country now, and bring it in under cover because the hail will come down on every person and animal that is found in the countryside and not sheltering under a roof, and they will die.’ ” 20 Some of Far’oh’s servants who believed what Yahweh said, quickly brought their slaves and their livestock back into their houses, 21 but those people who didn’t believe Yahweh just left their slaves and their animals out in the countryside.

22 “Raise your arm up toward the sky,” Yahweh told Mosheh, “and hail will strike all over Egypt—on the people and animals and on every plant in the Egyptian countryside.” 23 So Mosheh lifted his staff to the sky, and Yahweh sent thunder and hail, and lightning caused fires on the land, and so Yahweh rained hail down onto Egypt. 24 There was hail, and also fire coming down in the middle of the hail. It was very heavy, such as had never been in all of Egypt since it became a nation.[ref] 25 The hail struck everything in Egypt—everything that was in the countryside, from people to animals. It also struck every plant and broke every tree out in the countryside. 26 Only in the Goshen region where the Israelis were, was there no hail.

27 Then Far’oh sent for Mosheh and Aharon and told them, “I’ve sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and me and my people are guilty. 28 Pray to Yahweh to stop it, because the thunder of God and hail are too much. Then I’ll release you all—you won’t have to remain here.”

29 “As I’m leaving the city,” Mosheh replied, “I’ll spread my palms out to Yahweh. The thunder will stop and the hail won’t continue so that you will be able to see that the earth belongs to Yahweh. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you still don’t fear Yahweh God.”

31 (Now the flax and the barley were flattened by the hail because the barley was full grown and starting to fill out and the flax was in bloom. 32 But the wheat and the spelt weren’t destroyed because they come later in the season.)

33 So Mosheh left Far’oh, and as he was leaving the city, he spread his palms out to Yahweh and the thunder and hail ceased, and the rain stopped pouring down on the land. 34 But when Far’oh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he added to his sins and he firmed his resolve—he and his servants. 35 And so Far’oh remained stubborn and didn’t let the Israelis leave, just as Yahweh had said through Mosheh previously.