Behold is omitted in most translations, including New Revised Standard Version, probably because its force is included with the announcement, tomorrow. However, in many languages the equivalent of “All right!” or the more colloquial “Okay” will be natural style here. New American Bible, however, makes this explicit with the phrase “I warn you, then,” and Durham has “Just watch me.” The Hebrew word order, which is unnatural for English, is literally “Behold me, making rain, like time tomorrow, hail heavy very.” About this time is approximate but not precise. I will cause … to fall brings out the causative force of the participle, which is formed from the word for “rain.” In many languages “cause … to fall” will be quite natural style.

Hail consists of frozen rain drops that are harmful and destructive, especially when they are big, or very heavy. In some languages a “hailstorm” (Good News Translation) will be called a “rain of frozen rocks [or stones, pebbles].” A descriptive phrase may also be used for “hailstones”; for example, “I will cause large drops of frozen rain to fall.” The following clause makes it clear that this will be “a heavy hailstorm” (Good News Translation), with the words such as never has been in Egypt.

From the day it was founded follows the Hebrew quite literally, for the passive form is used for the verb meaning “to lay a foundation.” This refers, or course, to Egypt as a nation. And with the addition of until now, it covers “all its history” (Good News Translation). Since the force of the superlative is clearly implied, New Revised Standard Version has “the heaviest hail,” and New International Version has “the worst hailstorm.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .