Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

The Lord said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, 'This is what the Lord, God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go so they may serve me.'"

If you refuse to let them go and hold them still, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon your livestock which are in the field. This includes horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep. There will be a very grievous pestilence affecting all these animals.

The Lord will distinguish between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, showing his power over them. The Lord appointed a set time for this event, saying, "Tomorrow I will do this thing in the land."

The next day, the Lord did exactly as he had said. All the cattle of Egypt died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites perished.

Pharaoh sent someone to check on the Israelites' livestock and was relieved to find that none of them were dead. However, his heart remained hardened, and he refused to let the people go.

The Lord instructed Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of furnace ashes and sprinkle them toward heaven in Pharaoh's sight. The ashes turned into fine dust that spread over all the land of Egypt, causing painful boils to break out on both people and animals throughout the entire land.

Moses and Aaron carried out this instruction, standing before Pharaoh as they sprinkled the ashes toward heaven. The result was a painful blistering skin condition afflicting people and animals alike.

The magicians were unable to stand before Moses because of their own boils; every Egyptian suffered in the same way.

The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he refused to listen to Moses, just as the Lord had spoken through him.

The Lord instructed Moses to return to Pharaoh and tell him, "This is what the Lord God of the Hebrews says: Let my people go so they can serve me." I will send all my plagues upon your heart, and upon your servants, and upon your people. For now, I will stretch out my hand, striking you and your people with pestilence; and you shall be cut off from the earth.

I have raised you up for this very purpose, to demonstrate my power and declare my name throughout all the earth. As yet you exalt yourself against my people, that you will not let them go.

The Lord announced that the next day, about this time, he would cause a severe hailstorm unlike anything Egypt had experienced since its founding.

Pharaoh was advised to gather his livestock and everything in the field because every man and beast found outdoors would be struck by the hail and perish. Those who feared the word of the Lord among Pharaoh's servants quickly moved their people and animals into safety, while those who disregarded the warning left theirs exposed.

The Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand toward heaven, and he obeyed, directing the staff upward as the Lord sent thunder, hail, with fire flashing along the ground. The hail pounded down on the land of Egypt, destroying everything in the fields—people, animals, and plants alike. However, it did not destroy every tree.

In the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, there was no hail at all.

Pharaoh then called for Moses and Aaron, acknowledging his sin and recognizing that the Lord is righteous while he and his people are wicked.

Moses promised to leave the city and stretch out his hands to the Lord. If he did so, the thunder and hail would cease, and Pharaoh would let the Israelites go immediately.

However, Pharaoh still refused to genuinely fear the Lord God, despite his earlier promise of change. The flax and barley were severely affected, but the wheat and barley had not yet come into bloom, so they were spared.

Moses left Pharaoh in the city and stretched out his hands to the Lord, stopping the hailstorm but allowing no rain to fall on the earth.

When Pharaoh realized that the storm had passed, he sinned even more, hardening his heart along with those of his servants. The heart of Pharaoh remained hardened, and he refused to let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.