Exodus 9:13-19 · Bible study
Exodus 9:13-19 Commentary: God's Purpose in the Plagues
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God repeatedly warn Pharaoh? This passage reveals God's sovereignty, mercy, and ultimate purpose: to display His power and make His name known.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God explains why He sends repeated warnings: to display His power and make His name known, while also showing mercy by offering shelter before judgment.
- Key words: he'emadtika (I have made you stand, v.16), a causative verb meaning God preserved or appointed Pharaoh to his position for a specific purpose.
- Main debate: Does 'raised you up' mean God appointed Pharaoh to his throne (Calvin, Geneva Bible) or simply preserved his life despite deserved death (Barnes, Cambridge Bible)? Both readings see divine sovereignty at work.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God over human rulers, and the interplay of judgment and mercy in the outworking of God's global purposes.
- Best use: A key text for teaching on God's purpose in suffering, the meaning of hardening, and the missional dimension of divine judgment, that God's name might be declared throughout the earth.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
13Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
14Otherwise, I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
15For by this time I could have stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the earth.
16But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
17Still, you lord it over My people and do not allow them to go.
18Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded until now.
19So give orders now to shelter your livestock and everything you have in the field. Every man or beast that remains in the field and is not brought inside will die when the hail comes down upon them.’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
13Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
14For this time I will send all my plagues against your heart, against your officials, and against your people; that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.
15For now I would have stretched out my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth;
16but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth,
17because you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won’t let them go.
18Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.
19Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. The hail will come down on every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn’t brought home, and they will die.”’”
KJV King James Version 1769
13And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
14For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
15For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
16And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
17As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
18Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.
19Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
13And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
14For I will this time send all my plagues upon thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
15For now I had put forth my hand, and smitten thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou hadst been cut off from the earth:
16but in very deed for this cause have I made thee to stand, to show thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
17As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
18Behold, to-morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.
19Now therefore send, hasten in thy cattle and all that thou hast in the field; for every man and beast that shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
13And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Rise early in the morning, and station thyself before Pharaoh, and thou hast said unto him, Thus said Jehovah, God of the Hebrews, Send My people away, and they serve Me,
14for, at this time I am sending all My plagues unto thy heart, and on thy servants, and on thy people, so that thou knowest that there is none like Me in all the earth,
15for now I have put forth My hand, and I smite thee, and thy people, with pestilence, and thou art hidden from the earth.
16`And yet for this I have caused thee to stand, so as to show thee My power, and for the sake of declaring My Name in all the earth;
17still thou art exalting thyself against My people--so as not to send them away;
18lo, I am raining about this time to-morrow hail very grievous, such as hath not been in Egypt, even from the day of its being founded, even until now.
19`And, now, send, strengthen thy cattle and all that thou hast in the field; every man and beast which is found in the field, and is not gathered into the house--come down on them hath the hail, and they have died.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
13And Jehovah said to Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and set thyself before Pharaoh, and say to him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, that they may serve me.
14For I will at this time send all my plagues to thy heart, and on thy bondmen, and on thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
15For now shall I put forth my hand, and I will smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
16And for this very cause have I raised thee up, to shew thee my power; and that my name may be declared in all the earth.
17Dost thou still exalt thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
18Behold, to-morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since its foundation until now.
19And now send, [and] secure thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field: all the men and the cattle that are found in the field, and are not brought home — on them the hail shall come down, and they shall die.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
13And the Lord said to Moses: Arise in the morning, and stand before Pharao, and thou shalt say to him: Thus saith the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to sacrifice to me.
14For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayst know that there is none like me in all the earth.
15For now I will stretch out my hand to strike thee, and thy people, with pestilence, and thou shalt perish from the earth.
16And therefore have I raised thee, that I may shew my power in thee, and my name may be spoken of throughout all the earth.
17Dost thou yet hold back my people; and wilt thou not let them go?
18Behold I will cause it to rain to morrow at this same hour, an exceeding great hail; such as hath not been in Egypt from the day that it was founded, until this present time.
19Send therefore now presently, and gather together thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for men and beasts, and all things that shall be found abroad, and not gathered together out of the fields which the hail shall fall upon, shall die.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 9:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Across the supplied commentaries, scholars agree that Exodus 9:13-19 answers a question the reader has been asking: Why does God keep sending Moses with the same demand, knowing Pharaoh will not obey? The passage gives the reason in verse 16: God has raised Pharaoh up, kept him standing, preserved him alive, for the specific purpose of displaying His power and making His name known throughout the earth. Calvin, Barnes, and the Cambridge Bible all emphasize this. Clarke, Gill, and Wesley add that verse 15 shows God could have destroyed Pharaoh and Egypt with a single pestilence already. The fact that He did not is an act of restraint, not weakness. The plague of hail that follows is therefore not random violence; it is a measured judgment, announced in advance, with a clear warning so that some Egyptians may fear and be saved. As Barnes notes, the warning gives the first indication that some Egyptians are beginning to fear Yahweh's word. The consensus holds that God's persistence serves both judgment and mercy: the hardened are hardened further, and the fearful are given a path to shelter.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Appointment to rule: The verb he'emadtika (I have made you stand) is taken causatively: God placed Pharaoh on the throne specifically for this moment. This view is held by Calvin, the Geneva Bible, and Matthew Henry.
- Preservation alive: The same verb can mean 'to keep standing' or 'to preserve.' Barnes and the Cambridge Bible argue that God kept Pharaoh alive despite his deserving death, so that his humiliation would be more public.
- Hardening as divine abandonment: Some interpreters (e.g., Wesley) see the hardening not as God injecting evil but as God withdrawing restraint, leaving Pharaoh to the natural consequences of his own pride. This view finds support in the conditional statement of v.15 that implies Pharaoh could have been destroyed earlier.
- Typological reading: Some Christian traditions read Pharaoh as a type of Satan or human rebellion, and the plagues as types of God's ultimate victory over evil. In this view, 'raised you up' foreshadows God's use of evil for His own ends.
What is clear: All Christians agree that God is sovereign over human rulers, that the plagues were real historical events, and that God's ultimate purpose was to make His power and name known throughout the earth.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| God's hardening and human responsibility | All traditions agree that God is sovereign and that Pharaoh is responsible for his own pride and rebellion (v.17). | Some traditions (Reformed) emphasize God's active hardening as part of His eternal decree; others (Arminian, Wesleyan) see the hardening as God giving Pharaoh over to his own stubborn choices, highlighting human freedom. |
| The meaning of 'raised you up' (v.16) | The phrase indicates that God placed Pharaoh in a position to serve His purposes, whether by appointing him to the throne or preserving his life through the earlier plagues. | Calvin and the Geneva Bible read it as appointment to royalty ('I have appointed thee'). Barnes and the Cambridge Bible read it as preservation ('I have kept you standing'). Both see divine sovereignty. |
| The purpose of the plagues | All Christians affirm that the plagues demonstrate God's power and the uniqueness of Yahweh (v.14), and that they lead to the Exodus, a central salvation event. | Some emphasize the plagues as judgment primarily on Egyptian idolatry; others as a pedagogical tool to teach Israel monotheism; others as a foretaste of final judgment. |
| The offer of mercy in v.19 | God gives a genuine warning and opportunity for shelter; some Egyptians respond in faith and are saved (vv.20-21). | Interpreters differ on whether this mercy is available to Pharaoh himself at this point, given the prior hardening statement in v.12. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The plague of hail, the seventh in the sequence, marks a turning point. Earlier plagues, turned water to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock disease, boils, had come at intervals over months. According to Barnes, the first message was delivered after the early harvest of the previous year, around April or May; this plague falls in February, when barley is in the ear and flax is in bloom. The time of year heightens the economic devastation: the barley and flax harvests are ruined (Exodus 9:31).
Hail itself was rare and terrifying in Lower Egypt. The Nile Valley receives little rain, and hailstorms are almost unknown. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that a storm of this magnitude, accompanied by thunder and lightning, would cause astonishment and consternation among Egyptians whose gods, Nut (sky goddess), Osiris (god of crops), and Seth (god of storms), were powerless to protect them. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the phrase 'since the day it was founded' emphasizes the unprecedented nature of the disaster. The miracle is not that hail falls but that it falls at Moses' word, so precisely timed, and with the ability to kill.
The command to bring livestock into shelter (v. 19) reflects Egyptian agricultural practice. Barnes notes that from January to April, cattle are sent to pasture in open country; the warning directly disrupts normal routine. This detail introduces a moral choice: some Egyptian officials take the warning seriously, as shown in verses 20-21. The mercy within judgment is explicit: those who fear the word of the Lord may still be saved, even if Pharaoh does not.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 9:13-19. The main textual issue in the unit involves the Hebrew verb tenses in verse 15: the verbs are in the perfect tense ('I stretched out my hand, I struck'), which most English translations render as a past conditional ('I would have stretched out'). This is an interpretive decision, not a textual variant; the consonantal text is stable across all major Hebrew manuscripts.
Reception History
Exodus 9:16 has had a lasting impact in Christian theology through Paul's quotation in Romans 9:17, where it becomes a key proof-text in arguments about divine sovereignty and reprobation. The verse was cited by Augustine and later by Calvin during the Reformation to support the doctrine of unconditional election. The broader passage, particularly the offer of shelter before the hail, has been read as a pattern of God's patience in judgment: the warning itself is a means of grace. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the phrase 'that My name may be declared throughout all the earth' is often connected to the missional purpose of God's mighty acts. The passage has also been used in lectionary cycles for Lent, emphasizing God's call to repent while there is still time.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God restrains judgment to reveal His purpose. Verse 15 makes clear that God could have ended Pharaoh immediately with pestilence. Instead, He holds back. This shows that God's primary aim is not destruction but self-revelation: He wants Egypt, Israel, and the whole earth to know that there is no one like Him.
- God raises up rulers to accomplish His plan. Verse 16 is the hinge: God has caused Pharaoh to stand for this very purpose. As Paul quotes this verse in Romans 9:17, it teaches that earthly power exists under divine sovereignty. Even a defiant king is positioned by God to display His glory.
- God warns before He strikes. Verse 19 offers shelter. The same hail that destroys the rebellious becomes a test of faith for those who listen. God's judgment never cancels His mercy; the warning itself is an act of grace.
Five-point outline
- Call to release the oppressed (v.13): God's demand that His people be free to worship.
- Challenge to know the Lord (v.14): The plagues aim at recognition, not revenge.
- Check on unchecked power (v.15): A reminder that God's hand is never forced; He chooses His timing.
- Clarification of God's purpose (v.16): The entire confrontation serves God's name globally.
- Call to take cover (v.19): Mercy is offered before the hail falls.
Illustration hooks
- Natural warning systems: a tsunami warning system that only some heed. Those who flee survive; those who ignore are lost.
- Sports coaching: a coach who lets a player make mistake after mistake, not because he is weak but because he is building a lesson the player will never forget.
- Road construction signs: a sign saying 'bridge out ahead, turn now.' The sign is itself an act of mercy; ignoring it leads to a crash.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow evil rulers to remain in power? (v. 16 provides a theological starting point.)
- Does God cause people to sin when He hardens their hearts? (The distinction between God's hardening and human responsibility requires careful handling.)
- How can I know when a warning, from Scripture, from circumstances, from conscience, is from God?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges the assumption that God's persistence equals uncertainty. God knows Pharaoh will resist, yet He sends Moses again. The group will explore what this reveals about God's character, His purposes in judgment, and His patience toward even the hardest of hearts.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 9:13-19 aloud together. What stands out to you about the way God speaks to Pharaoh? (e.g., the personal address, the advance warning, the offer of shelter.)
- In verse 14, God says He is sending plagues 'against your heart.' What does that phrase suggest about the deeper target of God's judgment?
- Verse 15 uses a past tense in Hebrew: 'I stretched out my hand.' Several commentators (Clarke, Barnes) interpret this as a condition, 'I would have stretched out my hand.' Why is that distinction important for understanding how God works?
- Verse 16 says God raised Pharaoh up to show power and declare His name. How does this verse affect how you think about difficult leaders in history, or present?
- Pharaoh is given a specific warning about tomorrow (v.18) and an opportunity to shelter his livestock (v.19). Why does God offer a way of escape to someone He knows will not take it? What does that tell you about God's character?
- Look at verses 20-21 (the context after the passage). Some Egyptians fear God's word and bring their servants and livestock inside. Others do not. What determines which response a person gives?
- How does this passage help you trust God when you see injustice in the world?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 7:15 | Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he is going out to the water. You shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him. You shall take the rod which was turned to a serpent in your hand. |
| Exodus 8:20 | Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes out to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. |
| Exodus 9:1 | Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me. |
| Exodus 8:10 | Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like Yahweh our God. |
| Leviticus 26:18 | “‘If you in spite of these things will not listen to me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins. |
| Leviticus 26:21 | “‘If you walk contrary to me, and won’t listen to me, then I will bring seven times more plagues on you according to your sins. |
| Leviticus 26:28 | then I will walk contrary to you in wrath. I will also chastise you seven times for your sins. |
| Deuteronomy 28:15 | But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come on you and overtake you. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the Hebrew verbs in this passage are past tense, not future as commonly translated. God is saying He could have already destroyed Pharaoh and his people with pestilence, but deliberately preserved them to display His power. The coming hail demonstrates that the elements Egyptians worship are mere instruments in God's hands.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes the precise timing of the hail plague, using the state of flax and barley to date it to February and show the plagues' accelerating pace. He notes this is the first time Pharaoh explicitly acknowledges Yahweh as God, and God's universal power is set against the Egyptian belief that each god ruled only a local district.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that God's renewed threats to Pharaoh are not made with any hope of changing his heart, but to expose his utter obstinacy as a public example. Pharaoh rushes toward destruction because Satan holds his mind captive, and God now escalates from lighter rods to a heavier scourge since gentler punishment failed.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes an inconsistency in this verse: "this time" refers only to the hail, yet "all my plagues" implies a wider judgment. This uncharacteristically awkward phrasing, unusual for the J source, supports the view that these verses were added later by a compiler to explain why God kept sending plagues despite Pharaoh's stubbornness.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress that God raised up Pharaoh specifically to display His power and proclaim His name worldwide. Even as judgment falls, God shows mercy by warning Pharaoh to bring his servants and livestock indoors, sparing those who heed the warning.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that God could have destroyed Pharaoh and his people with pestilence earlier, but instead preserved him. The Hebrew verb tense indicates God had refrained from striking, keeping Pharaoh alive to display His power and make His name known throughout the earth. Even in judgment, God warned Pharaoh to shelter his livestock, showing mercy.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the seventh plague of hail struck Egypt at a point of rare vulnerability: rain, hail and thunder were unusual in the Nile Delta, making the storm not just severe but utterly astonishing. The unprecedented combination of massive hailstones, thunder and ground-sweeping lightning transformed a natural rarity into an unparalleled terror.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the plagues God sends are aimed at Pharaoh's heart, not just his person, to inflict a mortal wound. God raised up Pharaoh so he would experience Jehovah's power and God's name would be proclaimed through all the earth. Even at this stage, mercy still offered Pharaoh a chance to submit, but he refused.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the Hebrew grammar in verse 15 indicates God saying He could have destroyed Pharaoh already but chose to preserve him for a fuller display of power. From this point, God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart begins, and the plagues strike directly at Pharaoh’s personal interests.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that even after God hardened Pharaoh's heart, Moses was commanded to make the same demand a seventh time. This repeated appeal despite six previous refusals shows God’s extraordinary patience and long-suffering, demonstrating that He waits to be gracious even to a rebellious people.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a careful distinction: God raised up Pharaoh to display His power throughout the earth, but this describes the event, not God's design. The phrase "thy heart" signifies the whole person, and Pharaoh's ongoing rebellion becomes the stage for God's irresistible power and inflexible justice.