Genesis 19:24

19:24 Then the Lord rained down ¹  sulfur and fire ²  on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord. ³ 

Exodus 9:22-26

9:22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward the sky ⁴  that there may be ⁵  hail in all the land of Egypt, on people and on animals, ⁶  and on everything that grows ⁷  in the field in the land of Egypt.” 9:23 When Moses extended ⁸  his staff toward the sky, the Lord ⁹  sent thunder ¹⁰  and hail, and fire fell to the earth; ¹¹  so the Lord caused hail to rain down on the land of Egypt. 9:24 Hail fell ¹²  and fire mingled ¹³  with the hail; the hail was so severe ¹⁴  that there had not been any like it ¹⁵  in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. 9:25 The hail struck everything in the open fields, both ¹⁶  people and animals, throughout all the land of Egypt. The hail struck everything that grows ¹⁷  in the field, and it broke all the trees of the field to pieces. 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was there no hail.

Jude 1:20

1:20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, ¹⁸ 

Psalms 11:6

11:6 May the Lord rain down ¹⁹  burning coals ²⁰  and brimstone ²¹  on the wicked!

A whirlwind is what they deserve! ²² 

Psalms 18:12-14

18:12 From the brightness in front of him came

hail and fiery coals. ²³ 

18:13 The Lord thundered ²⁴  in ²⁵  the sky;

the sovereign One ²⁶  shouted. ²⁷ 

18:14 He shot his ²⁸  arrows and scattered them, ²⁹ 

many lightning bolts ³⁰  and routed them. ³¹ 

Psalms 77:17-18

77:17 The clouds poured down rain; ³² 

the skies thundered. ³³ 

Yes, your arrows ³⁴  flashed about.

77:18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind;

the lightning bolts lit up the world;

the earth trembled and shook. ³⁵ 

Isaiah 28:2

28:2 Look, the sovereign master ³⁶  sends a strong, powerful one. ³⁷ 

With the force of a hailstorm or a destructive windstorm, ³⁸ 

with the might of a driving, torrential rainstorm, ³⁹ 

he will knock that crown ⁴⁰  to the ground with his hand. ⁴¹ 

Isaiah 30:30

30:30 The Lord will give a mighty shout ⁴² 

and intervene in power, ⁴³ 

with furious anger and flaming, destructive fire, ⁴⁴ 

with a driving rainstorm and hailstones.

Ezekiel 13:11

13:11 Tell the ones who coat it with whitewash that it will fall. When there is a deluge of rain, hailstones ⁴⁵  will fall and a violent wind will break out. ⁴⁶ 

Revelation 11:19

11:19 Then ⁴⁷  the temple of God in heaven was opened and the ark of his covenant was visible within his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, roaring, ⁴⁸  crashes of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm. ⁴⁹ 

Revelation 16:21

16:21 And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds ⁵⁰  each, fell from heaven ⁵¹  on people, ⁵²  but they ⁵³  blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it ⁵⁴  was so horrendous. ⁵⁵ 

[19:24]  ¹ tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of the next scene and highlights God’s action.

[19:24]  ² tn Or “burning sulfur” (the traditional “fire and brimstone”).

[19:24]  ³ tn Heb “from the Lord from the heavens.” The words “It was sent down” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[9:22]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn The jussive with the conjunction (וִיהִי, vihi) coming after the imperative provides the purpose or result.

[9:22]  ⁶ tn Heb “on man and on beast.”

[9:22]  ⁷ 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.

[9:23]  ⁸ tn The preterite with the vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated to the next clause in view of the emphasis put on the subject, Yahweh, by the disjunctive word order of that clause.

[9:23]  ⁹ tn By starting the clause with the subject (an example of disjunctive word order) the text is certainly stressing that Yahweh alone did this.

[9:23]  ¹⁰ tn The expression נָתַן קֹלֹת (natan qolot) literally means “gave voices” (also “voice”). This is a poetic expression for sending the thunder. Ps 29:3 talks about the “voice of Yahweh” – the God of glory thunders!

[9:23]  ¹¹ sn This clause has been variously interpreted. Lightning would ordinarily accompany thunder; in this case the mention of fire could indicate that the lightning was beyond normal and that it was striking in such a way as to start fires on the ground. It could also mean that fire went along the ground from the pounding hail.

[9:24]  ¹² tn The verb is the common preterite וַיְהִי (vayÿhi), which is normally translated “and there was” if it is translated at all. The verb הָיָה (hayah), however, can mean “be, become, befall, fall, fall out, happen.” Here it could be simply translated “there was hail,” but the active “hail fell” fits the point of the sequence better.

[9:24]  ¹³ tn The form מִתְלַקַּחַת (mitlaqqakhat) is a Hitpael participle; the clause reads, “and fire taking hold of itself in the midst of the hail.” This probably refers to lightning flashing back and forth. See also Ezek 1:4. God created a great storm with flashing fire connected to it.

[9:24]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “very heavy” or “very severe.” The subject “the hail” is implied.

[9:24]  ¹⁵ tn A literal reading of the clause would be “which there was not like it in all the land of Egypt.” The relative pronoun must be joined to the resumptive pronoun: “which like it (like which) there had not been.”

[9:25]  ¹⁶ tn The exact expression is “from man even to beast.” R. J. Williams lists this as an example of the inclusive use of the preposition מִן (min) to be rendered “both…and” (Hebrew Syntax, 57, §327).

[9:25]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “all the cultivated grain of.”

[1:20]  ¹⁸ tn The participles in v. 20 have been variously interpreted. Some treat them imperativally or as attendant circumstance to the imperative in v. 21 (“maintain”): “build yourselves up…pray.” But they do not follow the normal contours of either the imperatival or attendant circumstance participles, rendering this unlikely. A better option is to treat them as the means by which the readers are to maintain themselves in the love of God. This both makes eminently good sense and fits the structural patterns of instrumental participles elsewhere.

[11:6]  ¹⁹ tn The verb form is a jussive, indicating that the statement is imprecatory (“May the Lord rain down”), not indicative (“The Lord rains down”; see also Job 20:23). The psalmist appeals to God to destroy the wicked, rather than simply stating his confidence that God will do so. In this way the psalmist seeks to activate divine judgment by appealing to God’s just character. For an example of the power of such a curse, see Judg 9:7-57.

[11:6]  ²⁰ tc The MT reads “traps, fire, and brimstone,” but the image of God raining traps, or snares, down from the sky is bizarre and does not fit the fire and storm imagery of this verse. The noun פַּחִים (pakhim, “traps, snares”) should be emended to פַּחֲמֵי (pakhamey, “coals of [fire]”). The rare noun פֶּחָם (pekham, “coal”) occurs in Prov 26:21 and Isa 44:12; 54:16.

[11:6]  ²¹ sn The image of God “raining down” brimstone on the objects of his judgment also appears in Gen 19:24 and Ezek 38:22.

[11:6]  ²² tn Heb “[may] a wind of rage [be] the portion of their cup.” The precise meaning of the rare noun זִלְעָפוֹת (zil’afot) is uncertain. It may mean “raging heat” (BDB 273 s.v. זַלְעָפָה) or simply “rage” (HALOT 272 s.v. זַלְעָפָה). If one understands the former sense, then one might translate “hot wind” (cf. NEB, NRSV). The present translation assumes the latter nuance, “a wind of rage” (the genitive is attributive) referring to a “whirlwind” symbolic of destructive judgment. In this mixed metaphor, judgment is also compared to an allotted portion of a beverage poured into one’s drinking cup (see Hab 2:15-16).

[18:12]  ²³ tc Heb “from the brightness in front of him his clouds came, hail and coals of fire.” 2 Sam 22:13 reads, “from the brightness in front of him burned coals of fire.” The Lucianic family of texts within the Greek tradition of 2 Sam 22:13 seems to assume the underlying Hebrew text: מנגה נגדו עברו ברד וגחלי אשׁ, “from the brightness in front of him came hail and coals of fire” (the basis for the present translation). The textual situation is perplexing and the identity of the original text uncertain. The verbs עָבָרוּ (’avaru; Ps 18:12) and בָּעֲרוּ (ba’aru; 2 Sam 22:13) appear to be variants involving a transposition of the first two letters. The noun עָבָיו (’avayv, “his clouds,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the following עָבְרוּ, ’avru), or it could have accidentally dropped out from the text of 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). The noun בָּרָד (barad, “hail,” Ps 18:12) may be virtually dittographic (note the preceding עָבְרוּ), or it could have dropped out from 2 Sam 22:13 by virtual haplography (note the preceding בָּעֲרוּ, which might have originally read עָבְרוּ). For a fuller discussion of the text and its problems, see R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 74-76.

[18:13]  ²⁴ sn Thunder is a common motif in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 179-83.

[18:13]  ²⁵ tn 2 Sam 22:14 has “from.”

[18:13]  ²⁶ tn Heb “the Most High.” This divine title (עֶלְיוֹן, ’elyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Ps 47:2.

[18:13]  ²⁷ tc The text of Ps 18:13 adds at this point, “hail and coals of fire.” These words are probably accidentally added from v. 12b; they do not appear in 2 Sam 22:14.

[18:14]  ²⁸ tn 2 Sam 22:15 omits the pronominal suffix (“his”).

[18:14]  ²⁹ tn The pronominal suffixes on the verbs “scattered” and “routed” (see the next line) refer to the psalmist’s enemies. Some argue that the suffixes refer to the arrows, in which case one might translate “shot them far and wide” and “made them move noisily,” respectively. They argue that the enemies have not been mentioned since v. 4 and are not again mentioned until v. 17. However, usage of the verbs פוּץ (puts, “scatter”) and הָמַם (hamam, “rout”) elsewhere in Holy War accounts suggests the suffixes refer to enemies. Enemies are frequently pictured in such texts as scattered and/or routed (see Exod 14:24; 23:27; Num 10:35; Josh 10:10; Judg 4:15; 1 Sam 7:10; 11:11; Ps 68:1).

[18:14]  ³⁰ sn Lightning is a common motif in in OT theophanies and in ancient Near Eastern portrayals of the storm god and warring kings. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 190-92.

[18:14]  ³¹ tn Heb “lightning bolts, many.” 2 Sam 22:15 has simply “lightning” (בָּרָק, baraq). The identity of the word רָב (rav) in Ps 18:14 is problematic. (1) It may be a form of a rare verb רָבַב (ravav, “to shoot”), perhaps attested in Gen 49:23 as well. In this case one might translate, “he shot lightning bolts and routed them.” Other options include (2) understanding רָב (rav) as an adverbial use of the adjective, “lightning bolts in abundance,” or (3) emending the form to רַבּוּ (rabbu), from רָבַב (ravav, “be many”) or to רָבוּ (ravu), from רָבָה (ravah, “be many”) – both a haplography of the vav (ו); note the initial vav on the immediately following form – and translating “lightning bolts were in abundance.”

[77:17]  ³² tn Heb “water.”

[77:17]  ³³ tn Heb “a sound the clouds gave.”

[77:17]  ³⁴ tn The lightning accompanying the storm is portrayed as the Lord’s “arrows” (see v. 18).

[77:18]  ³⁵ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[28:2]  ³⁶ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in vv. 16, 22 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[28:2]  ³⁷ tn Heb “Look, a strong and powerful [one] belongs to the Lord.”

[28:2]  ³⁸ tn Heb “like a rainstorm of hail, a wind of destruction.”

[28:2]  ³⁹ tn Heb “like a rainstorm of mighty, overflowing waters.”

[28:2]  ⁴⁰ tn The words “that crown” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The object of the verb is unexpressed in the Hebrew text.

[28:2]  ⁴¹ tn Or “by [his] power.”

[30:30]  ⁴² tn Heb “the Lord will cause the splendor of his voice to be heard.”

[30:30]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and reveal the lowering of his arm.”

[30:30]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “and a flame of consuming fire.”

[13:11]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “and you, O hailstones.”

[13:11]  ⁴⁶ sn A violent wind will break out. God’s judgments are frequently described in storm imagery (Pss 18:7-15; 77:17-18; 83:15; Isa 28:17; 30:30; Jer 23:19; 30:23).

[11:19]  ⁴⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence on events within the vision.

[11:19]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).”

[11:19]  ⁴⁹ tn Although BDAG 1075 s.v. χάλαζα gives the meaning “hail” here, it is not clear whether the adjective μεγάλη (megalh) refers to the intensity of the storm or the size of the individual hailstones, or both.

[16:21]  ⁵⁰ tn Here BDAG 988 s.v. ταλαντιαῖος states, “weighing a talent…χάλαζα μεγάλη ὡς ταλαντιαία a severe hailstorm with hailstones weighing a talent (the talent=125 librae, or Roman pounds of c. 343 gr. or 12 ounces each) (weighing about a hundred pounds NRSV) Rv 16:21.” This means each hailstone would weigh just under 100 pounds or 40 kilograms.

[16:21]  ⁵¹ tn Or “the sky.” Due to the apocalyptic nature of this book, it is probably best to leave the translation as “from heaven,” since God is ultimately the source of the judgment.

[16:21]  ⁵² tn Grk “on men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a generic sense to refer to people in general (the hailstones did not single out adult males, but would have also fallen on women and children).

[16:21]  ⁵³ tn Grk “the men”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun “they” is used here.

[16:21]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “the plague of it.”

[16:21]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “since the plague of it was exceedingly great.”