What does Exodus 9:25 mean?
The seventh plague (Exodus 7:21; 8:6, 17, 24; 9:6, 10) was predicted to be unlike anything Egypt had ever seen (Exodus 9:18–19). When the storm came, it brought a vicious combination of hail and lightning (Exodus 9:23–24). Even small hailstones can damage plants and animals. Larger stones, the width of a thumb, can become deadly. Hailstones have been recorded at the size of a human hand—which would be instantly lethal. Scripture does not tell us how large the hailstones were in this storm, but when God uses hail as judgment, it can be extreme (Revelation 16:21).As expected, this terrifying burst of ice and lightning destroys everything exposed. People and animals are killed. Trees and plants are smashed. Only those crops which had not yet sprouted managed to survive (Exodus 9:31–32). This would make a drastic visual impact on the Egyptian landscape. Decorative plants, less-sturdy structures, trees, crops, grasses, and other parts of a typical scene would be crushed and / or burnt.
Those Egyptians who listened to God's warning avoided the worst effects (Exodus 9:20–21). The Hebrews were entirely free from the storm (Exodus 9:26). This distinction highlights that this was a supernatural event. It also serves as a reminder that Egyptian idols such as Set and Horus, associated with weather, were powerless. Only the One True God, the God of Israel, had influence. He demanded the release of His people (Exodus 5:1; 7:16; 8:1, 21; 9:1). These disasters were the result of defiance (Exodus 5:2; 7:13–14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7).
This storm will continue until Pharaoh admits that he is wrong (Exodus 9:27–28).