18. All right. At this time tomorrow, he will bring on Egypt the worst hailstorm in its history.
19. You had better give orders for every person and every animal in Egypt to take shelter. If they don't, they will die.
20. Some of the king's officials were frightened by what the Lord had said, and they hurried off to make sure their slaves and animals were safe.
21. But others paid no attention to his threats and left their slaves and animals out in the open.
22. Then the Lord told Moses, “Stretch your arm towards the sky, so that hailstones will fall on people, animals, and crops in the land of Egypt.”
23-24. Moses pointed his walking stick towards the sky, and hailstones started falling everywhere. Thunder roared, and lightning flashed back and forth, striking the ground. This was the worst storm in the history of Egypt.
25. People, animals, and crops were pounded by the hailstones, and bark was stripped from trees.
26. Only Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was safe from the storm.
27. The king sent for Moses and Aaron and told them, “Now I have really sinned! My people and I are guilty, and the Lord is right.
28. We can't stand any more of this thunder and hail. Please ask the Lord to make it stop. Your people can go—you don't have to stay in Egypt any longer.”
29. Moses answered, “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my arms in prayer. When the thunder and hail stop, you will know that the earth belongs to the Lord.