Exodus 9:33

Translation
King James Version
And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And Moses H4872 went out H3318 of the city H5892 from Pharaoh H6547, and spread abroad H6566 his hands H3709 unto the LORD H3068: and the thunders H6963 and hail H1259 ceased H2308, and the rain H4306 was not poured H5413 upon the earth H776.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Moshe went out of the city, away from Pharaoh, and spread out his hands to ADONAI. The thunder and hail ended, and the rain stopped pouring down on the earth.
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Berean Standard Bible
Then Moses departed from Pharaoh, went out of the city, and spread out his hands to the LORD. The thunder and hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured down on the land.
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American Standard Version
And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto Jehovah: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
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World English Bible Messianic
Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to the LORD; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Then Moses went out of the citie from Pharaoh, and spred his hands to the Lord, and the thunder and the haile ceased, neither rained it vpon the earth.
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Young's Literal Translation
And Moses goeth out from Pharaoh, from the city, and spreadeth his hands unto Jehovah, and the voices and the hail cease, and rain hath not been poured out to the earth;
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See also
Exodus 9:29Exodus 8:12James 5:17James 5:18Exodus 10:18Exodus 10:19
See on the biblical-era map
The Kingdom of Egypt in the Time of Moses
The Kingdom of Egypt in the Time of Moses View full PDF
Exodus 1:15-22, Exodus 8:20-32, Exodus 9:22-34
Exodus 1:15-22, Exodus 8:20-32, Exodus 9:22-34 View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 1,776 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Exodus 9:33 vividly culminates the seventh plague, portraying the immediate and miraculous cessation of the devastating hail and thunder as Moses, acting as God's chosen intercessor, departs from Pharaoh's city and stretches his hands in earnest prayer to the LORD. This pivotal moment powerfully demonstrates God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, His unwavering responsiveness to the fervent prayers of His faithful servant, and His enduring faithfulness, even in the face of Pharaoh's persistent and defiant rebellion.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse marks the dramatic conclusion of the seventh plague, the severe hail and fire, which is meticulously detailed in the preceding verses. The narrative builds from the initial unleashing of the plague in Exodus 9:23-26, which describes an unprecedented storm unlike anything seen in Egypt before. Pharaoh, utterly broken and terrified by the unprecedented destruction, finally confesses his sin and acknowledges God's righteousness, pleading with Moses and Aaron to intercede for the storm's cessation, promising to let Israel go (Exodus 9:27-28). Moses agrees to intercede, setting the stage for his departure from the city and his subsequent prayer. Immediately following this verse, the narrative reveals Pharaoh's predictable hardening of heart once the immediate threat is removed (Exodus 9:34-35), highlighting the superficiality and self-serving nature of his repentance, which was driven by fear rather than genuine contrition.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Egypt, Pharaoh was revered as a divine king, a living god, and the earthly embodiment of cosmic order, or Ma'at. His authority was considered absolute, and his word was law. The plagues, particularly the hail, directly challenged the power and efficacy of prominent Egyptian deities, such as Nut (goddess of the sky), Shu (god of the air), and Seth (god of storms and chaos). Moses' deliberate act of leaving the city to pray was profoundly significant. It underscored that the power at work was not originating from within Pharaoh's domain, nor was it a magic trick performed by an Egyptian sorcerer. Instead, it unequivocally demonstrated that the God of Israel, Yahweh (the LORD), was the supreme authority, whose power transcended all human boundaries, pagan influences, and the perceived control of Egyptian gods. Moses' posture of "spreading abroad his hands" was a common and well-understood ancient Near Eastern gesture of earnest supplication, visually communicating a direct, humble, and fervent appeal to the divine.
  • Key Themes: Exodus 9:33 powerfully contributes to several major theological and narrative themes within the book of Exodus and the broader Pentateuch. Firstly, it emphatically highlights God's absolute sovereignty over creation. Unlike the limited and often capricious Egyptian deities, the LORD demonstrates complete and instantaneous control over natural phenomena, initiating and halting the most destructive forces at His command. This affirms His unmatched power and unique status as the one true God, contrasting sharply with the impotence of the Egyptian pantheon (a theme seen throughout Exodus 7, Exodus 8, Exodus 9, Exodus 10, Exodus 11, Exodus 12). Secondly, the verse underscores the efficacy and importance of intercessory prayer. God's immediate and dramatic response to Moses' petition affirms that He hears and acts upon the prayers of His faithful servants, even when those prayers are offered on behalf of an unrepentant enemy. This demonstrates God's willingness to work through human agents to accomplish His divine purposes. Lastly, it reveals God's immense patience and unwavering faithfulness to His word, even in the face of persistent rebellion. Despite knowing Pharaoh's heart would harden again, God still honors His promise to Moses and lifts the plague, offering Pharaoh yet another opportunity for genuine repentance. This divine patience is a recurring motif, even as God's judgment intensifies.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Exodus 9:33 describes the immediate, miraculous conclusion to the seventh plague: "And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth."

Key Word Analysis

  • "spread abroad" (Hebrew, pâras' H6566) and "hands" (Hebrew, kaph' H3709): The phrase "spread abroad his hands" translates the Hebrew idiom pâras kappav, literally meaning "he spread his palms." This is a common and significant biblical posture for earnest prayer, supplication, and intercession. It signifies a humble and direct appeal to God, conveying a sense of reaching out, vulnerability, and fervent seeking of divine intervention, often in distress or on behalf of others. This physical act underscores the sincerity, urgency, and mediatorial role of Moses' petition.
  • "ceased" (Hebrew, châdal' H2308): Derived from the primitive root châdal, meaning "to stop," "to cease," "to desist," or "to be lacking." The immediate and absolute cessation of the storm—including the thunder, hail, and rain—highlights the instantaneous and complete control of God over nature. It emphasizes that the plague was not a random natural phenomenon but a divinely orchestrated event, initiated and terminated precisely at God's command, leaving no room for doubt regarding its supernatural origin.
  • "LORD" (Hebrew, Yᵉhôvâh' H3068): This is the covenant name of God, Yahweh, signifying "the self-Existent or Eternal One." The use of this specific name emphasizes that the power demonstrated in stopping the plague belongs to the personal, covenant-keeping God of Israel, in contrast to the impersonal or limited deities of Egypt. Moses' prayer is directed to the one true God who is uniquely sovereign and faithful to His promises.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh": This action is both deliberate and profoundly symbolic. By physically separating himself from the city, Moses distances himself from the seat of Pharaoh's pagan power and the idolatrous environment of Egypt. This emphasizes that his authority and the power he wields come directly and exclusively from the LORD, not from any human or Egyptian source. It also highlights the sacred nature of his intercession, performed in a space distinct from the defilement of the Egyptian court.
  • "and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD": This describes the specific posture of prayer, a visual representation of Moses' earnest, humble, and direct appeal to God. It signifies an act of complete submission and fervent intercession, powerfully demonstrating his divinely appointed role as a mediator between God and Pharaoh, and indeed, between God and humanity. This gesture is a universal sign of seeking divine favor and intervention.
  • "and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.": This clause details the immediate, complete, and comprehensive cessation of the plague. The mention of multiple elements—thunders, hail, and rain—emphasizes the total nature of the divine intervention. The instantaneous cessation, occurring directly and visibly after Moses' prayer, underscores God's absolute sovereignty over all natural forces and His immediate responsiveness to the prayers of His servant. It leaves no doubt that the storm was entirely under divine control, not a random act of nature.

Literary Devices

Exodus 9:33 effectively employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. The verse utilizes cause-and-effect parallelism, where Moses' act of prayer (the cause) is immediately followed by the complete cessation of the storm (the effect). This direct correlation emphasizes God's immediate and direct response to intercession, leaving no ambiguity about the divine origin of the miracle. The physical act of "spreading abroad his hands" serves as a potent visual metaphor for earnest supplication and humble dependence on God, making the abstract act of prayer tangible and impactful for the reader. Furthermore, the detailed enumeration of the elements that ceased ("thunders and hail... and the rain") employs merism, a rhetorical device where two contrasting or complementary parts represent a whole, thereby emphasizing the comprehensive and total cessation of the entire storm, leaving nothing behind.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Exodus 9:33 powerfully articulates several profound theological truths. Firstly, it underscores God's absolute sovereignty over creation. Unlike the limited and often capricious Egyptian deities, the God of Israel demonstrates complete and instantaneous control over natural phenomena, initiating and halting the most destructive forces at will. This affirms His unmatched power and unique status as the one true God, the ultimate ruler of the cosmos. Secondly, the verse highlights the efficacy and importance of intercessory prayer. God's immediate and dramatic response to Moses' petition affirms that He hears and acts upon the prayers of His faithful servants, even when those prayers are on behalf of an unrepentant enemy. This demonstrates God's willingness to work through human agents to accomplish His purposes, valuing human participation in His divine plan. Thirdly, it reveals God's immense patience and faithfulness to His word. Despite knowing Pharaoh's heart would harden again, God still honors His promise to Moses and lifts the plague, offering Pharaoh yet another opportunity for genuine repentance. This divine patience underscores His desire for all to turn to Him.

This theme of divine sovereignty over nature and the power of intercession resonates throughout the biblical narrative.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Exodus 9:33 offers timeless and transformative lessons for believers today. It serves as a powerful reminder of the efficacy of prayer, particularly intercessory prayer. We are called to pray boldly and fervently, not only for ourselves but also for others, trusting that God hears and responds according to His perfect will and timing. This verse also profoundly strengthens our faith in God's ultimate sovereignty over all circumstances, whether natural disasters, personal crises, or global events. We can rest securely in the knowledge that He is in control, capable of bringing about change instantly, and that nothing is beyond His power. Finally, Pharaoh's fleeting "repentance," driven by fear and a desire for relief rather than genuine change of heart, serves as a poignant warning against superficial faith. True repentance leads to lasting transformation, a sustained relationship with God, and a desire to obey Him, not merely a temporary plea for the removal of consequences. This challenges us to examine the depth and authenticity of our own faith and commitment.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does understanding God's absolute sovereignty over nature (as vividly seen in this verse) impact your trust in Him during times of personal crisis or global turmoil?
  • In what specific ways can you actively cultivate a posture of intercessory prayer for those around you, even for those who may seem resistant to God's truth or are in opposition to Him?
  • What is the fundamental difference between genuine repentance and a temporary desire for relief from consequences, and how can we ensure our own faith is rooted in the former?

FAQ

Why did Moses have to go outside the city to pray?

Answer: Moses' departure from the city was both symbolic and practical. Symbolically, it demonstrated that the power he invoked was from God, not from Pharaoh's domain or any pagan influence within the city walls. It emphasized God's transcendence over human authority and idolatry, clearly showing that the LORD's power was not confined by Egyptian boundaries. Practically, it might have been to avoid ritual defilement from the pagan city or to underscore the public nature of the miracle, making it undeniably clear that the cessation of the plague was directly linked to his prayer to the LORD, not to any internal Egyptian magic or a natural end to the storm. This public act served to further glorify God and humble Pharaoh.

Did God really need Moses' prayer to stop the hail? Couldn't He have just stopped it Himself?

Answer: God is absolutely sovereign and omnipotent; He could have certainly stopped the hail without any human intervention. However, this verse highlights God's chosen method of working through His faithful servants. God delights in responding to the prayers of His people, demonstrating His relational nature with humanity and the power He graciously grants to those who intercede according to His will. It is not that God needed Moses, but rather that He chose to involve Moses in this divine act. By doing so, God magnified Moses' role as His prophet and mediator, further illustrating the profound power and effectiveness of faithful prayer in the unfolding of His divine plan. This pattern of God working through human agents is seen throughout biblical history, inviting humanity into partnership with the divine.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Exodus 9:33, while deeply rooted in the Old Testament narrative of the Exodus, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in several transformative ways. Firstly, Moses' role as the faithful intercessor for a rebellious people powerfully foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate and perfect mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). Just as Moses pleaded for Pharaoh and Israel, Jesus continually intercedes for His people before the Father, serving as our eternal advocate (Romans 8:34). Secondly, the dramatic display of God's absolute sovereignty over nature, seen in the instantaneous cessation of the hail at Moses' word, is amplified and embodied in the very person of Jesus. The New Testament records multiple instances where Jesus demonstrates inherent divine authority over the elements, most notably when He calms a raging storm with a mere command, rebuking the wind and waves (Mark 4:39). This unequivocally shows that the power displayed through Moses was a manifestation of the same divine power that resides fully and perfectly in Christ. Finally, Pharaoh's temporary, fear-driven "repentance" contrasts sharply with the genuine, heart-transforming repentance offered through Christ. While Pharaoh's heart hardened again, Jesus offers true forgiveness and a new heart to all who turn to Him in faith, leading to lasting change and reconciliation with God (Ezekiel 36:26). The plague, a severe judgment, points to the greater judgment for sin, from which only Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross can deliver humanity (John 3:16).

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Commentary on Exodus 9 verses 22–35

The threatened plague of hail is here summoned by the powerful hand and rod of Moses (Exo 9:22, Exo 9:23), and it obeys the summons, or rather the divine command; for fire and hail fulfil God's word, Psa 148:8. And here we are told,

I. What desolations it made upon the earth. The thunder, and fire from heaven (or lightning), made it both the more dreadful and the more destroying, Exo 9:23, Exo 9:24. Note, God makes the clouds, not only his store-houses whence he drops fatness on his people, but his magazines whence, when he pleases, he can draw out a most formidable train of artillery, with which to destroy his enemies. He himself speaks of the treasures of hail which he hath reserved against the day of battle and war, Job 38:22, Job 38:23. Woeful havoc this hail made in the land of Egypt. It killed both men and cattle, and battered down, not only the herbs, but the trees, Exo 9:25. The corn that was above ground was destroyed, and that only preserved which as yet had not come up, Exo 9:31, Exo 9:32. Note, God has many ways of taking away the corn in the season thereof (Hos 2:9), either by a secret blasting, or a noisy hail. In this plague the hot thunderbolts, as well as the hail, are said to destroy their flocks, Psa 78:47, Psa 78:48; and see Psa 105:32, Psa 105:33. Perhaps David alludes to this when, describing God's glorious appearances for the discomfiture of his enemies, he speaks of the hailstones and coals of fire he threw among them, Psa 18:12, Psa 18:13. And there is a plan reference to it on the pouring out of the seventh vial, Rev 16:21. Notice is here taken (Exo 9:26) of the land of Goshen's being preserved from receiving any damage by this plague. God has the directing of the pregnant clouds, and causes it to rain or hail on one city and not on another, either in mercy or in judgment.

II. What a consternation it put Pharaoh in. See what effect it had upon him, 1. He humbled himself to Moses in the language of a penitent, Exo 9:27, Exo 9:28. No man could have spoken better. He owns himself on the wrong side in his contest with the God of the Hebrews: "I have sinned in standing it out so long." He owns the equity of God's proceedings against him: The Lord is righteous, and must be justified when he speaks, though he speak in thunder and lightning. He condemns himself and his land: "I and my people are wicked, and deserve what is brought upon us." He begs the prayers of Moses: "Entreat the Lord for me, that this direful plague may be removed." And, lastly, he promises to yield up his prisoners: I will let you go. What could one desire more? And yet his heart was hardened all this while. Note, The terror of the rod often extorts penitent acknowledgments from those who have no penitent affections; under the surprise and smart of affliction, they start up, and say that which is pertinent enough, not because they are deeply affected, but because they know that they should be and that it is meet to be said. 2. Moses, hereupon, becomes an intercessor for him with God. Though he had all the reason in the world to think that he would immediately repent of his repentance, and told him so (Exo 9:30), yet he promises to be this friend in the court of heaven. Note, Even those whom we have little hopes of, yet we should continue to pray for, and to admonish, Sa1 12:23. Observe, (1.) The place Moses chose for his intercession. He went out of the city (Exo 9:33), not only for privacy in his communion with God, but to show that he durst venture abroad into the field, notwithstanding the hail and lightning which kept Pharaoh and his servants within doors, knowing that every hail-stone had its direction from his God, who meant him no hurt. Note, Peace with God makes men thunderproof, for thunder is the voice of their Father. (2.) The gesture: He spread abroad his hands unto the Lord - an outward expression of earnest desire and humble expectation. Those that come to God for mercy must stand ready to receive it. (3.) The end Moses aimed at in interceding for him: That thou mayest know, and be convinced, that the earth is the Lord's (Exo 9:29), that is, that God has a sovereign dominion over all the creatures, that they all are ruled by him, and therefore that thou oughtest to be so. See what various methods God uses to bring men to their proper senses. Judgments are sent, judgments removed, and all for the same end, to make men know that he Lord reigns. (4.) The success of it. [1.] He prevailed with God, Exo 9:33. But, [2.] He could not prevail with Pharaoh: He sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, Exo 9:34, Exo 9:35. The prayer of Moses opened and shut heaven, like Elias's (Jam 5:17, Jam 5:18), and such is the power of God's two witnesses (Rev 11:6); yet neither Moses nor Elias, nor those two witnesses, could subdue the hard hearts of men. Pharaoh was frightened into a compliance by the judgment, but, when it was over, his convictions vanished, and his fair promises were forgotten. Note, Little credit is to be given to confessions upon the rack. Note also, Those that are not bettered by judgments and mercies are commonly made worse.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 22–35. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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