18. So at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm ever to fall on Egypt in its entire history.
19. " ' "Give an order now to bring your livestock inside to a safe place. Bring in everything that is outside. The hail will fall on all of the people and animals that are left outside. They will die." ' "
20. The officials of Pharaoh who had respect for what the Lord had said obeyed him. They hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside.
21. But others didn't pay attention to what the Lord had said. They left their slaves and livestock outside.
22. Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "Reach your hand out toward the sky. Then hail will fall all over Egypt. It will beat down on people and animals alike. It will strike everything that is growing in the fields of Egypt."
23. Moses reached his wooden staff out toward the sky. Then the Lord sent thunder and hail. Lightning flashed down to the ground. The Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt.
24. Hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in Egypt's entire history.
25. All over Egypt hail struck everything in the fields. It fell on people and animals alike. It beat down everything that was growing in the fields. It tore all of the leaves off the trees.
26. The only place it didn't hail was in the area of Goshen. That's where the people of Israel were.
27. Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. "This time I've sinned," he said to them. "The Lord has done what is right. I and my people have done what is wrong.
28. Pray to the Lord, because we've had enough thunder and hail. I'll let you and your people go. You don't have to stay here any longer."
29. Moses replied, "When I've left the city, I'll lift up my hands and pray to the Lord. The thunder will stop. There won't be any more hail. Then you will know that the earth belongs to the Lord.
30. But I know that you and your officials still don't have any respect for the Lord God."