הַעְתִּ֙ירוּ֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וְרַ֕ב מִֽהְיֹ֛ת קֹלֹ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים וּבָרָ֑ד וַאֲשַׁלְּחָ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תֹסִפ֖וּן לַעֲמֹֽד׃
Умоляй Господа, и пусть будет достаточно этих могучих громов и града; и я отпущу тебя, и ты больше не останешься.'
Shemot Rabbah
“Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them: I have sinned this time; the Lord is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones” (Exodus 9:27).
“Pharaoh sent” – what he said: “I have sinned this time; the Lord is the righteous one [hatzaddik], and I and my people are the wicked ones.” Because the Holy One blessed be He had said to him: “Now send, gather [your livestock…every man and animal that will be found in the field…will die]” (Exodus 9:19). He [God] acted righteously [tzedaka] with them by warning them, “and I and my people are the wicked ones,” as they disregarded the word of the Lord and left their people and their livestock in the field and they all died.
Entreat the Lord; there has been enough of this mighty thundering and hail, and I will let you go, and you will stay no longer. Moses said to him: As I leave the city, I will spread my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail; so that you will know that the earth is the Lord's (Exodus 9:28-29).
“Entreat the Lord… Moses said to him: As I leave the city, I will spread my hands…” From here [we learn] that Moses did not want to pray in Egypt because it was filthy with idols and abominations.
“And as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God” (Exodus 9:30).
“And as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.” Do not think that I do not know what you are destined to do afterward. Rather, I know that you will not fear the Omnipresent afterward, just as you did not fear Him beforehand. Yet, I will do so [stop the hail], so you will acknowledge the greatness of the Holy One blessed be He.
“Pharaoh sent” – what he said: “I have sinned this time; the Lord is the righteous one [hatzaddik], and I and my people are the wicked ones.” Because the Holy One blessed be He had said to him: “Now send, gather [your livestock…every man and animal that will be found in the field…will die]” (Exodus 9:19). He [God] acted righteously [tzedaka] with them by warning them, “and I and my people are the wicked ones,” as they disregarded the word of the Lord and left their people and their livestock in the field and they all died.
Entreat the Lord; there has been enough of this mighty thundering and hail, and I will let you go, and you will stay no longer. Moses said to him: As I leave the city, I will spread my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail; so that you will know that the earth is the Lord's (Exodus 9:28-29).
“Entreat the Lord… Moses said to him: As I leave the city, I will spread my hands…” From here [we learn] that Moses did not want to pray in Egypt because it was filthy with idols and abominations.
“And as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God” (Exodus 9:30).
“And as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.” Do not think that I do not know what you are destined to do afterward. Rather, I know that you will not fear the Omnipresent afterward, just as you did not fear Him beforehand. Yet, I will do so [stop the hail], so you will acknowledge the greatness of the Holy One blessed be He.
Midrash Tanchuma
At that very moment the wicked Pharaoh cried out: Entreat the Lord … and I will let them go (Exod. 9:28). Moses replied: You said that at the time of the first plague, and I pleaded in your behalf, but yet you did not send them away. Why should I entreat for thee and for thy servants? (ibid. 8:5). Pharaoh replied: I have sinned before the Lord your God and against you, but now I will let them go. When Moses heard that, Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread forth his hands unto the Lord; and the thunders and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth (ibid. 9:33). They were suspended in mid-air. When did they descend? Some descended upon the Amorites in the days of Joshua, as it is said: The Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them (Josh. 10:11), and the remainder will fall on Gog and Magog in the days of the Messiah. And the thunders ceased (Exod. 9:34). They, too, were suspended (in mid-air). They descended in the days of Elisha, against the camp of the Arameans, as it is said: For the Lord had made the hosts of the Arameans, to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses (II Kings 7:6).