Psalm 105:32 kjv
He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.
Psalm 105:32 nkjv
He gave them hail for rain, And flaming fire in their land.
Psalm 105:32 niv
He turned their rain into hail, with lightning throughout their land;
Psalm 105:32 esv
He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land.
Psalm 105:32 nlt
He sent them hail instead of rain,
and lightning flashed over the land.
Psalm 105 32 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 9:22-26 | Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand... that there may be hail..." Moses stretched out his rod... the LORD sent thunder and hail... and fire ran down upon the earth. Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, there was no hail. | Original account of the 7th plague |
| Ex 10:23 | "fire ran down upon the earth... and the hail struck... all the trees." | Damage by hail |
| Ps 78:47-48 | He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost. He gave over their cattle to the hail and their flocks to thunderbolts. | Parallel recounting of the hail plague |
| Ps 148:8 | Fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy winds fulfilling His word! | Nature obeying God's command |
| Isa 30:30 | And the LORD will cause His glorious voice to be heard... with flaming fire... and with a rushing torrent and hailstones. | God's voice and judgment with hail |
| Job 38:22-23 | "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow? Or seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?" | God's control over hail |
| Eze 38:22 | "With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him... flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone." | Hail as a sign of judgment |
| Rev 8:7 | The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. A third of the earth was burned up. | Eschatological hail as judgment |
| Rev 11:19 | Then God's temple in heaven was opened... and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. | Hail as sign of God's wrath |
| Rev 16:21 | And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and people blasphemed God... for the plague of the hail was very great. | Massive hail as ultimate judgment |
| Josh 10:11 | As they fled from before Israel... the LORD threw down large hailstones from heaven on them... | Hail as divine intervention in battle |
| Judg 5:4 | LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured, the clouds indeed poured water. | God demonstrating power through weather |
| Ps 18:12-14 | From the brightness of His presence bolts of lightning flashed forth... He shot His arrows and scattered them; He flashed forth great lightnings and routed them. | God using storms/lightning against enemies |
| Jer 10:13 | When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens... He makes lightnings for the rain... | God as Creator controlling weather |
| Hab 3:10 | The mountains saw You and trembled; the overflowing flood passed by; the deep uttered its voice; it lifted its hands on high. | Creation trembling at God's presence |
| Ps 99:6 | Moses and Aaron were among His priests... They called to the LORD, and He answered them. | Moses' role in the plagues |
| Neh 9:10 | And performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and all his servants... for You knew that they acted proudly against them. | Reason for plagues: Pharaoh's pride |
| Deut 29:22-24 | the stranger who comes from a distant land, when they see the plagues of the land and the sicknesses with which the LORD has afflicted it. | Plagues as a warning to nations |
| 1 Sam 7:10 | But as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines... | God using thunder against enemies |
| Joel 2:30 | "I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke." | Prophetic sign of judgment |
Psalm 105 verses
Psalm 105 32 Meaning
Psalm 105:32 describes a specific act of divine judgment against Egypt, detailing the seventh of the ten plagues that God sent through Moses. It recounts how God transformed the life-giving rain into destructive hail, and alongside it, sent flashes of blazing fire or lightning throughout the land of Egypt. This verse highlights God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His power to execute His will through natural phenomena, turning ordinary elements into instruments of judgment. It marks a severe intervention where the very forces meant for life and sustenance became agents of devastation.
Psalm 105 32 Context
Psalm 105 is a hymn of thanksgiving, an exultation of God's faithfulness to Israel through their history, recounting His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and His subsequent protective and redemptive acts. The psalm transitions to the period of the Exodus from verse 23 onwards, detailing how God remembered His covenant. Verses 26-36 specifically recall the ten plagues brought upon Egypt as a demonstration of God's power and judgment against Pharaoh, paving the way for Israel's liberation. Psalm 105:32 fits directly into this narrative sequence, specifically recounting the devastating seventh plague of hail and fire, which further broke Pharaoh's resistance and showed God's dominion over nature and false gods. This plague was aimed at Egyptian deities associated with atmosphere, sky, and harvest, powerfully undermining their perceived authority.
Psalm 105 32 Word analysis
- He (הוּא - _hû_): Refers directly to God, the LORD (Yahweh), established as the active agent throughout the psalm. It emphasizes His direct and personal involvement in judgment.
- gave (נָתַן - _nāṯan_): A foundational Hebrew verb meaning 'to give,' 'to put,' 'to send.' Here, it conveys intentionality and control. God is not merely allowing these events; He is actively, decisively sending them as a deliberate act.
- them (לָהֶם - _lāhem_): Refers to the Egyptians. This clarifies the target of God's judgment – the oppressive nation and its inhabitants.
- hail (בָּרָד - _bārād_): This specific meteorological phenomenon (ice pellets falling from the sky) is consistently used in the Bible as an instrument of divine judgment (Ex 9:23, Ps 78:47, Job 38:22). Its mention here recalls the severity and distinctiveness of this plague. It represents nature's destructive power unleashed by God.
- for rain (גֶּשֶׁם - _gešem_): Literally "rain." The juxtaposition is crucial. God replaced the beneficial, life-giving rain with destructive hail. This transformation highlights the inversion of nature's benevolent role into one of judgment, illustrating God's complete mastery over the elements and His ability to turn blessings into curses when provoked.
- and fiery (אֵשׁ - _’ēš_): Hebrew for 'fire.' In this context, it describes the visible flashes and burning effects that accompanied the hail, intensifying the plague. Often rendered as 'fire' or 'fiery.'
- lightning (קֹדֵחַ - _qōdēaḥ_ / קֹדְחָה - _qod'chah_): This word root (from QDC, 'to burn,' 'to glow') when associated with 'fire' in this context (Ex 9:24 uses אֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת 'fire flaring up') strongly implies lightning or bolts of fire that descended to the earth. It emphasizes the active, striking element of the judgment, showing immediate divine presence. The Masoretic Text for Ps 105:32 reads אֵשׁ קֹדֵחָה (_’ēš qōḏeḥâ_), literally 'blazing fire' or 'glowing fire', which refers to lightning or the fire accompanying the hail.
- in their land (בְּאַרְצָם - _bə’arṣām_): Refers to Egypt. This stresses the territorial specificity of the plague. It was contained within Egypt, contrasting with the safety of Goshen for the Israelites (Ex 9:26). This geographic limitation underscores God's precise control and discrimination in judgment.
Words-group analysis:
- "He gave them hail for rain": This phrase encapsulates the dramatic reversal of nature. What is normally a blessing (rain for crops and life) becomes an instrument of destruction (hail), demonstrating God's ultimate authority over natural processes and His ability to bend creation to His will for purposes of judgment.
- "and fiery lightning in their land": This addition intensifies the description of the plague, showing it was not just hail but a combined, overwhelming force of hail and accompanying electrical storm. "Fiery lightning" or "blazing fire" illustrates the visible, terrifying display of divine power and the destructive impact of the judgment across the land of Egypt. The phrase signifies total devastation.
Psalm 105 32 Bonus section
The severity of the hail in the original Exodus account (Ex 9:24) emphasizes its unprecedented nature ("such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation"). This underscores the unique and targeted nature of God's plagues. The mention of hail in prophetic literature and the book of Revelation signifies its recurring symbolic role as a weapon of divine judgment in climactic events. This particular plague serves not just as a historical event but also as a typological precedent for future divine interventions and the manifestation of God's sovereign wrath against unrepentant defiance. The psalm’s purpose is to evoke gratitude and trust in the God who faithfully acts on behalf of His people, contrasting sharply with the destructive fate of their adversaries.
Psalm 105 32 Commentary
Psalm 105:32 offers a concise yet powerful description of the seventh Egyptian plague, vividly recounting God's complete mastery over creation to fulfill His covenantal promises and execute judgment. By transforming life-sustaining rain into devastating hail accompanied by lightning, God not only severely punished Egypt but also exposed the impotence of their storm deities like Set, and sky deities like Nut or Shu. This plague targeted the Egyptian agricultural economy and vital livestock, representing a significant blow to their livelihood and exposing the futility of their trust in their gods. The selective nature of the plague (sparing Goshen, as noted in Exodus) further underscores God's distinction between His people and the disobedient, highlighting His precision and faithfulness. It serves as a reminder that the same God who sends blessings can, for just cause, unleash nature's fury, making the world subject to His divine command.