We are in chapter nine of Exodus with our word for today used for the first time in the Bible in our chapter. בָּרָד hailstones, hail. It is used 29 times in the Old Testament, 14 times in our chapter alone. Our word is used in the sense of precipitation consisting of lumps or spheres of ice that can be destructive. We find our word used to describe God’s awesome power. Job 38:22-23 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the בָּרָ֣ד hail, which I reserve for times of trouble, for days of war and battle? Our word is used most of the time as one of the ways God brings judgment against an army or nation. Joshua 10:10-11 Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon…the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the הַבָּרָ֔ד hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. This is exactly what we see in our chapter today that has almost half of the uses in the Bible. Exodus 9:18-26 Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy בָּרָ֖ד hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the הַבָּרָ֖ד hail falls on them.”’” Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be בָרָ֖ד hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.” Then...the Lord sent thunder and וּבָרָ֔ד hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the Lord rained בָּרָ֖ד hail upon the land of Egypt. There was בָרָ֔ד hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the הַבָּרָ֑ד hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The הַבָּרָ֜ד hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the הַבָּרָ֔ד hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no בָּרָֽד hail. I find it interesting that some of Pharaoh’s servants actually listened to God and acted on what God said was going to happen even though their king did not listen. They brought the livestock into shelter as well as themselves. I like this verse that speaks of the wisdom of livestock. Job 36:33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach. Even cattle know God’s creation because they are connected to it as God’s creatures. This shows the wonder and power of God seen in a lighting storm. The idea is that cattle have enough sense to act on what they know about God. But because of Pharaoh’s pride it kept him from listening to what livestock already know. This reminds me of this New Testament passage. 2 Peter 2:10, 12 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings… But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish. Pharaoh would not humble himself and submit himself to God’s authority over him. I’ll close with the consequences of Pharaoh’s pride described in this Psalm. Psalm 78:47-49 He destroyed their vines with בַּבָּרָ֣ד hail and their sycamore-figs with sleet. He gave over their cattle to the לַבָּרָ֣ד hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning. He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility— a band of destroying angels.
