MPV Commentary

18. The seventh plague that Pharaoh's hardened heart provoked was a severe hailstorm, a phenomenon that would have caused great astonishment and terror in Egypt. Rain and hailstones accompanied by thunder and lightning were rare occurrences in this region.

The storm was particularly devastating because it brought elements that were not typically seen together in Egypt: massive hailstones, intense thunder, and widespread lightning. This unexampled calamity left the people in awe of God's power.

20-21. Those who had heeded the warning of the Lord by sending their livestock out to graze before the storm were spared. However, those who neglected the warning and left their animals in the fields suffered greatly. The destruction was not limited to the livestock; it also affected all vegetation, leaving nothing but devastation behind.

The severity of the storm was even more striking because hailstones in Egypt are typically small and harmless, and lightning is rarely fatal. To make matters worse, there were no signs of any previous storms in Goshen, making this event all the more extraordinary.

27-35. Pharaoh's hardened heart finally began to soften after witnessing the devastating effects of the storm. He called for Moses and Aaron, acknowledging that he had sinned by opposing God's will. However, his repentance was short-lived, and he soon returned to his obstinate ways.

31-32. The crops affected by the hailstorm included flax and barley, which were almost ripe when wheat and rye were still green. This highlights the unique climate and agricultural conditions in Egypt. Flax typically ripens in March, while barley is ready a month earlier. Wheat and rye, on the other hand, are not yet ripe until April.