Exodus 9:19-22

9:19 So now, send instructions ¹  to gather ²  your livestock and all your possessions in the fields to a safe place. Every person ³  or animal caught ⁴  in the field and not brought into the house – the hail will come down on them, and they will die!”’”

9:20 Those ⁵  of Pharaoh’s servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their ⁶  servants and livestock into the houses, 9:21 but those ⁷  who did not take ⁸  the word of the Lord seriously left their servants and their cattle ⁹  in the field.

9:22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward the sky ¹⁰  that there may be ¹¹  hail in all the land of Egypt, on people and on animals, ¹²  and on everything that grows ¹³  in the field in the land of Egypt.”

[9:19]  ¹ tn The object “instructions” is implied in the context.

[9:19]  ² tn הָעֵז (ha’ez) is the Hiphil imperative from עוּז (’uz, “to bring into safety” or “to secure”). Although there is no vav (ו) linking the two imperatives, the second could be subordinated by virtue of the meanings. “Send to bring to safety.”

[9:19]  ³ tn Heb “man, human.”

[9:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “[who] may be found.” The verb can be the imperfect of possibility.

[9:20]  ⁵ tn The text has “the one fearing.” The singular expression here and throughout vv. 20-21 refers to all who fit the description.

[9:20]  ⁶ tn Heb “his” (singular).

[9:21]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew text again has the singular.

[9:21]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “put to his heart.”

[9:21]  ¹¹ tn Heb “his servants and his cattle.”

[9:22]  ¹³ tn Or “the heavens” (also in the following verse). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[9:22]  ¹⁴ tn The jussive with the conjunction (וִיהִי, vihi) coming after the imperative provides the purpose or result.

[9:22]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “on man and on beast.”

[9:22]  ¹⁶ tn The noun refers primarily to cultivated grains. But here it seems to be the general heading for anything that grows from the ground, all vegetation and plant life, as opposed to what grows on trees.