After enduring five devastating plagues that severely impacted Egypt’s economy, effects of three of which were still ongoing, Pharaoh remained immutable in refusing to allow the Israelites take a “three-day journey” into the desert to worship the LORD. In response, the LORD commanded Moses to warn Pharaoh of a sixth plague: a deadly disease that would strike Egypt’s livestock in the field, sparing only the animals belonging to the Israelites.
This marked the second time the LORD made a clear distinction between Egypt and Israel leaving no doubt about the divine source of the plague. The LORD also set a specific time for the plague, declaring it would occur the following day, providing Pharaoh with yet another clear sign and opportunity to recognize God’s authority— opportunities Pharaoh predictably ignored.
The Case of the Dead Cattle
And the next day the LORD did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go. – Exodus 9:6-7 (NIV)
Pharaoh personally investigated the death of the livestock because cattle held sacred significance in Egyptian religion, with gods like Apis, Mnevis, and Khnum represented as bulls or rams, and Isis depicted with cow horns. To the Egyptians, cattle were divine, and their sudden death would have been deeply unsettling. Pharaoh, however, remained sceptical of Moses and believed the warnings might be deceitful.
Unfamiliar with the power of the LORD, he assumed that if such an event were truly divine, it would affect everyone uniformly. The selective targeting of Egyptian livestock while sparing the Israelites’ animals defied his understanding, so he sought direct evidence with his own eyes. This investigation also stemmed from Pharaoh’s need for further proof, as this gave him additional signs to soften his hardened heart.
Boiling Point
Losing his livestock did not affect Pharaoh’s resolve, as he likely compensated for the loss by seizing the Israelites’ cattle for his own use, continuing to live in stubborn defiance of the LORD’s warnings. Then the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron to take soot from a furnace and toss it into the air in Pharaoh’s presence. This soot became fine dust over Egypt, causing festering boils to break out on both people and animals throughout the land. Even Pharaoh’s magicians, who had previously tried to counter Moses, were rendered powerless and could not stand before him due to the boils.
This plague of boils was the first plague that physically afflicted Pharaoh, his officials, and the Egyptian people. Unlike the earlier plagues that targeted their environment and property, this disease struck their bodies, leaving no room for doubt that the power of the LORD was personal and inescapable. Yet, despite this tangible impact, Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he refused to relent.
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses. – Exodus 9:12 (NIV)
The sixth plague, which brought festering boils upon the Egyptians, marks the first time it is explicitly mentioned that the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Up to this point, Pharaoh’s resistance stemmed from his own stubbornness and pride. God allowed Pharaoh to persist in his refusal, aligning with his own desires so that a greater demonstration of His power would unfold for all of Egypt to witness. This hardening wasn’t an arbitrary act but a continuation of Pharaoh’s own resolve, magnified by God for the fulfilment of His greater purpose.
Pharaoh still clung to the belief that the Israelites intended only a brief journey into the desert to worship the LORD, not realizing that they planned to leave permanently with their families and possessions. The true scope of their exodus had not yet dawned on him. As the signs continued, God was preparing to make His ultimate authority unmistakable—not only to Pharaoh but to the entire nation of Egypt.
For the people of Egypt, enduring boils seemed preferable to obeying the LORD, as they stubbornly chose to adapt to their misery rather than heed His commands. By this stage, Pharaoh and his people were learning to live with the cumulative effects of the plagues, which had turned their lives into a nightmare. They had no livestock, boils covered their skin, the Nile was filled with blood, filling the land with an undrinkable stench, the streets reeked of dead frogs, and gnats swarmed everywhere. Yet, despite the overwhelming and worsening conditions, Pharaoh and the Egyptians clung to their defiance, refusing to acknowledge the LORD’s authority and the need to let the Israelites go.
Collateral Damage
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. – Exodus 9:16 (NIV)
The Egyptians were not intended to be mere collateral damage in God’s plan for the redemption of the Israelites. God’s purpose was far greater—He was providing Pharaoh, his officials, and all the Egyptians with repeated opportunities for repentance and recognition of His sovereignty. When the LORD said to Pharaoh, “I have raised you” (a better translation would have been “I have spared you”), He highlighted that His restraint was intentional. He could have wiped them out completely but chose to preserve them to fulfill a greater purpose: demonstrating His power and ensuring that His name would be glorified across the earth.
In the eyes of the Egyptians, Pharaoh was revered as a god, a symbol of ultimate authority and divine power. His refusal to acknowledge the LORD not only hardened his own heart but also influenced the entire nation to resist God’s will. By sparing Pharaoh and allowing him to remain in power despite his defiance, God was orchestrating a moment where Pharaoh’s eventual fall would serve as the ultimate declaration of the LORD’s supremacy. If Pharaoh—the supposed god of Egypt—could be humbled, it would dismantle the false belief systems that exalted human leaders or deities above the true God.
When people place excessive reverence or reliance on earthly leaders—whether Pharaohs, bosses, or anyone else—they often fail to give God the glory He deserves. Such misplaced trust blocks the people’s recognition of God as the ultimate provider and ruler. By bringing down those who wrongly receive such reverence, whether it be Pharaoh or anyone else, God reclaims His rightful glory and demonstrates that He alone holds ultimate power.
This time the LORD gave Pharoah and his officials a specific warning of the impending seventh plague—the worst hailstorm Egypt had ever experienced since its founding. In an act of both judgment and mercy, God instructed Pharaoh and his people to shelter any remaining livestock and belongings, as anything left in the open field would perish under the deadly hail. This directive gave the Egyptians a clear choice: acknowledge the power of the LORD and take His warning seriously or face the devastating consequences of their defiance.
Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. – Exodus 9:20 (NIV)
Just like there were Pharisees during Jesus’ time who believed in Him but refrained from speaking out due to fear of the chief priests, there were indeed people in Egypt who began to fear the LORD. Among them were officials in Pharaoh’s court who, though initially silent, started to believe in the God of the Israelites. Over time, they began voicing their opinions, advising Pharaoh to relent and release the Hebrews. Their shift in perspective grew more evident as the plagues intensified, demonstrating that these events were not mere coincidences but acts of a powerful and sovereign God.
The LORD instructed Moses to stretch out his hand toward the sky, bringing a devastating hailstorm upon Egypt. When Moses obeyed, the LORD sent thunder, lightning, and hail—the worst storm Egypt had experienced since its founding. The hail struck everything in the fields, including people, animals, crops, and trees, causing widespread destruction. However, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was spared from the storm, further demonstrating God’s protection over His people and His power over Egypt.
I Was Wrong
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. – Exodus 9:27 (NIV)
Admitting when we are wrong is something many of us struggle with, often because of the belief that our opinions are always right. This hesitation stems from pride and a reluctance to let go of our ego. However, Pharaoh, despite his stubbornness and belief in his own authority, reached a point where he was willing to set aside his pride and acknowledge God.
This particular plague was unique because God provided an escape clause, instructing the Egyptians to bring their livestock indoors to protect them from harm. The forewarning itself convinced many that the plague was truly an act of God, as they could see its timing and consequences aligning precisely with Moses’ words. Unlike previous plagues, where the relief was unpredictable, this time God specifically foretold not only the timing of the plague but also how to avoid its worst effects, leaving no doubt about His power and sovereignty. Despite this clear warning, Pharaoh refused to act, demonstrating his continued defiance.
The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later. – Exodus 9:31-32 (NIV)
The destruction of the flax and barley, which were already in bloom, while the wheat and spelt remained unharmed because they ripen later, provides a clear indication of the season in which these events occurred. This detail identifies the timing of the plagues, aligning them with the early spring months, and provides the audience with a clear timeline of events to commemorate through the festival of Passover.
Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He stretched out his hands to the LORD, and the thunder, hail, and rain ceased, bringing an end to the storm. However, when Pharaoh saw that the storm had stopped, he sinned once again. Both he and his officials hardened their hearts, and Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had foretold through Moses.
Despite acknowledging that he was wrong this time, Pharaoh refused to heed God’s warning, choosing instead to harden his heart once more. His continued defiance not only placed him in opposition to God but also began to alienate his own people, who were slowly turning against him as they suffered under his stubbornness. By ignoring the warnings, Pharaoh would bear responsibility for the devastating plagues yet to come, including the death of all the firstborn in Egypt.
Discussion Questions
- What prompted Pharaoh to personally investigate the death of the livestock?
- This is the first plague where it is explicitly mentioned that the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart. What was God’s purpose in doing this?
- Were the Egyptians merely collateral damage in God’s plan for the redemption of the Israelites?
- Did some people in Egypt come to fear the LORD?
The Jordan Valley 
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