Now therefore is literally “and now,” or “So now” (New Jerusalem Bible). Send is addressed to the king only, but there is no direct object to the verb. It can refer to sending out servants, but it is generally understood as sending word (New Jerusalem Bible) or giving orders (Good News Translation). Get … into safe shelter is in the imperative singular, meaning literally “you cause to take shelter,” or “you bring to refuge.” The word safe is not in the Hebrew, but it is implied in the word for shelter. Your cattle refers to the king’s “livestock” (Good News Translation), meaning all his domesticated animals (see 9.3), and all that you have in the field refers to “everything else you have” (Good News Translation), including animals, servants, and equipment. Even though the you is singular, there seems to be no intention of excluding the property of all the Egyptians.

For, or “because” (New International Version), is not in the Hebrew, but it is a natural way to introduce the next clause, which gives the reason why the king should act quickly. Shall come down is literally “shall descend,” but in reference to hail, it “will fall” (Good News Translation). Upon every man refers to all “people,” including women and children. Beast includes both wild and domesticated animals. That is in the field is literally “which is found” or “which happens to be in the field.” Field refers to any place “outside” and “unprotected” (Good News Translation). And is not brought home is literally “and is not gathered to the house.” It means “not brought in” (New English Bible), or “not brought indoors” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “not brought to shelter” (New American Bible).

And they shall die is one word in the Hebrew. This refers to all “people and animals” of the Egyptians (see verse 26) that are “not brought indoors” (New Jerusalem Bible). “They will all die” (Good News Translation) from injuries caused by the hail. Note the three sets of quotation marks in Revised Standard Version (” ’ ”), which conclude the long quotation that began in verse 13. The third level quote, giving the exact words Moses is to speak to the Pharaoh, was introduced with the formula “Thus says Yahweh” (verse 13) and should be understood as a divine oracle.

An alternative translation model for verses 13-19 using indirect speech for the first and third quote levels is:

• The LORD told Moses to go to meet the king early the next morning and say: “Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, commands you to let his people go, so that they can worship him. This time he is going to punish you [plural] more severely than before. He will punish not only your officials and your people, but also you [singular], so that you may know that there is no one like him in the world. In fact, he could have already caused a terrible disease to strike you [singular] and your people that would completely destroy all of you. But he has spared your [singular] life just to show you his power and to cause people all over the world to praise him. But you still won’t release my people. You are so arrogant towards them! All right! About this same time tomorrow, Yahweh will cause large pieces of hail to fall. This will be the worst hailstorm in the history of Egypt. Now give orders….”

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 .