Exodus – Chapter 9

Old Testament35 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 9 of Exodus begins: "And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and speak to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to sacrifice to me." The chapter centers on Moses, Pharaoh and Aaron. Across its 35 verses, two threads run through the text: sin and divine judgment and family and covenant relationships. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and speak to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to sacrifice to me.

2But if thou refuse, and withhold them still:

3Behold my hand shall be upon thy fields; and a very grievous murrain upon thy horses, and asses, and camels, and oxen, and sheep.

4And the Lord will make a wonderful difference between the possessions of Israel and the possessions of the Egyptians, that nothing at all shall die of those things that belong to the children of Israel.

5And the Lord appointed a time, saying: To morrow will the Lord do this thing in the land.

6The Lord therefore did this thing the next day: and all the beasts of the Egyptians died, but of the beasts of the children of Israel there died not one.

7And Pharao sent to see; and there was not any thing dead of that which Israel possessed. And Pharao's heart was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

8And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Take to you handfuls of ashes out of the chimney, and let Moses sprinkle it in the air in the presence of Pharao.

9And be there dust upon all the land of Egypt: for there shall be boils and swelling blains both in men and beasts, in the whole land of Egypt.

10And they took ashes out of the chimney, and stood before Pharao, and Moses sprinkled it in the air; and there came boils with swelling blains in men and beasts.

11Neither could the magicians stand before Moses, for the boils that were upon them, and in all the land of Egypt.

12And the Lord hardened Pharao's heart, and he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

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.

20He that feared the word of the Lord among Pharao's servants, made his servants and his cattle flee into houses:

21But he that regarded not the word of the Lord, left his servants, and his cattle in the fields.

22And the Lord said to Moses: Stretch forth thy hand towards heaven, that there may be hail in the whole land of Egypt upon men, and upon beasts, and upon every herb of the field in the land of Egypt.

23And Moses stretched forth his rod towards heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightnings running along the ground: and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

24And the hail and fire mixt with it drove on together: and it was of so great bigness, as never before was seen in the whole land of Egypt since that nation was founded.

25And the hail destroyed through all the land of Egypt all things that were in the fields, both man and beast: and the hail smote every herb of the field, and it broke every tree of the country.

26Only in the land of Gessen, where the children of Israel were, the hail fell not.

27And Pharao sent and called Moses and Aaron, saying to them: I have sinned this time also, the Lord is just: I and my people, are wicked.

28Pray ye to the Lord that the thunderings of God and the hail may cease: that I may let you go, and that ye may stay here no longer.

29Moses said: As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will stretch forth my hands to the Lord, and the thunders shall cease, and the hail shall be no more: that thou mayst know that the earth is the Lord's:

30But I know that neither thou, nor thy servants do yet fear the Lord God.

31The flax therefore, and the barley were hurt, because the barley was green, and the flax was now bolled;

32But the wheat, and other winter corn were not hurt, because they were lateward.

33And when Moses was gone from Pharao out of the city, he stretched forth his hands to the Lord: and the thunders and the hail ceased, neither did there drop any more rain upon the earth.

34And Pharao seeing that the rain, and the hail, and the thunders were ceased, increased his sin:

35And his heart was hardened, and the heart of his servants, and it was made exceeding hard: neither did he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

Important Verses in Exodus 9

And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and speak to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to sacrifice to me.

Exodus 9:1

And 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.

Exodus 9:13

And Moses stretched forth his rod towards heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightnings running along the ground: and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

Exodus 9:23

And his heart was hardened, and the heart of his servants, and it was made exceeding hard: neither did he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

Exodus 9:35

Historical Context

Exodus belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for israel in every generation, commanded to remember the Passover as a perpetual memorial. Chapter 9 of 40 belongs to the early movement of the book, where the narrative or argument is still unfolding. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 35 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on Moses, Pharaoh and Aaron, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. The passage starts with these words: "And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and speak to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: Let my people go…" The final verse reads: "And his heart was hardened, and the heart of his servants, and it was made exceeding hard: neither did he let the…" Read against its original backdrop, Exodus recounts the defining event of the Old Testament: God's liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh, most likely Ramesses II. The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC.

Who Wrote It

Traditionally attributed to Moses, with later inspired editing

When It Was Written

Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this oracle names the sins, judgments, or promises relevant to its original hearers. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and speak to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to sacrifice to me." The passage repeatedly touches on sin and divine judgment.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of liberation, law, and worship. the Church sees the Exodus as prefiguring Baptism and the Eucharist (CIC 1221, 1363). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 1265).

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.

People in This Chapter

Moses13 mentionsPharaoh11 mentionsAaron2 mentions

Reflection for Today

When the Church proclaims Exodus Chapter 9 at Mass or in the Liturgy of the Hours, she treats this text as the living voice of God.

In the four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—the Church finds rich meaning in Exodus Chapter 9. At the moral level, stewardship of creation challenges us to examine conscience and amend our lives (CIC 2578).

If this passage raises questions, seek the Church's teaching through the Catechism, a faithful priest, or sound Catholic commentaries. Private interpretation must remain in harmony with the Magisterium (CIC 26).

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Exodus Chapter 9 about?

Exodus 9 contains 35 verses. It opens with "And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and speak to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: Let my people go…" and closes with "And his heart was hardened, and the heart of his servants, and it was made exceeding hard: neither did he let the…". The book as a whole is narrative, law, and liturgical instruction.

What is a key verse in Exodus 9?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and speak to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to sacrifice to me." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Exodus Chapter 9?

This chapter mentions Moses, Pharaoh, Aaron.

Who wrote Exodus and when?

Traditionally attributed to Moses, with later inspired editing. Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC.

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