9
1 Then Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Adonai, the God of the Hebrews [Immigrants], says: “Let my people go, that they may abad ·serve· me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still, 3 behold, Adonai’s hand is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence. 4 Adonai will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel [God prevails] and the livestock of Egypt [Abode of slavery]; and nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel [God prevails].” ’ ” 5 Adonai appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow Adonai shall do this thing in the land.” 6 Adonai did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt [Abode of slavery] died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel [God prevails], not one died. 7 Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.
8 Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out] and to Aaron [Light-bringer], “Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses [Drawn out] sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery], and shall be a boil * breaking out with boils on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery].”
10 They took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses [Drawn out] sprinkled it up toward the sky; and it became a boil breaking out with boils on man and on animal. 11 The magicians couldn’t stand before Moses [Drawn out] because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery]. 12 Adonai hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn’t sh'ma ·hear obey· them, as Adonai had spoken to Moses [Drawn out].
13 Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Adonai, the God of the Hebrews [Immigrants], says: “Let my people go, that they may abad ·serve· me. 14 For 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. 15 For 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; 16 but 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; † (7) 17 as you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won’t let them go. 18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt [Abode of slavery] since the day it was founded even until now. 19 Now therefore order that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is found in the field, and is not brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die.” ’ ”
20 Those who feared Adonai’s word among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses. 21 Whoever didn’t respect Adonai’s word left his servants and his livestock in the field.
22 Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery], on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery].”
23 Moses [Drawn out] stretched out his rod toward the heavens, and Adonai sent thunder, hail, and lightning flashed down to the earth. Adonai rained hail on the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery]. 24 So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery] since it became a nation. 25 The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery] all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen [Drawing near], where the children of Israel [God prevails] were, there was no hail.
27 Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses [Drawn out] and Aaron [Light-bringer], and said to them, “I have sinned ·deviated (from the standard goal)· this time. Adonai is upright, and I and my people are wicked. 28 Pray to Adonai; for there has been enough of mighty thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”
29 Moses [Drawn out] said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands to Adonai. The thunders shall cease, and there will not be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is Adonai’s. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you don’t yet fear Adonai God.”
31 The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom. 32 But the wheat and the spelt was not struck, for they had not grown up. (Maftir ·Conclusion·) 33 Moses [Drawn out] went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to Adonai; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. 34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned ·deviated (from the standard goal)· yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn’t let the children of Israel [God prevails] go, just as Adonai had spoken through Moses [Drawn out].
Haftarah Va'era ·Taking leave· ·And I appeared·:
Yechezk'el / Ezekiel 28:25-29:21
B'rit Hadashah ·New Covenant·: Matt 12:1-14
* 9:9 . Quoted in Rev 16:2, parallel plague † 9:16 . Quoted in Rom 9:17