Exodus 9:31

31 And the flax and the barley were smitten; for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.

Exodus 9:31 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 9:31

And the flax and the barley was smitten
With the hail, thunder, and lightning, and were beat down, bruised, broken, and blasted, and destroyed; of the former there were great quantities produced in Egypt, which was famous for linen, much was made there, and there were many that wrought in fine flax, see ( Isaiah 19:9 ) and the latter were used not only to feed their cattle, but to make a drink of, as we do, ale and strong beer; and so the Egyptians use it to this day, as Dr. Shaw ^F16 says, both to feed their cattle, and after it is dried and parched, to make a fermented, intoxicating liquor, called "bonzah"; probably the same with the barley wine of the ancients, and a species of the "sicar", or strong drink of the Scriptures: for the barley [was] in the ear, and the flax [was] bolled;
or in the stalk, quite grown up, and so the ears of the one were beat off, and the stalks of the other battered with the hail, and broken and destroyed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Travels, tom. 2. c. 2. sect. 5. p. 407. Ed. 2.

Exodus 9:31 In-Context

29 And Moses said to him, When I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands to Jehovah: the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail; that thou mayest know that the earth is Jehovah's.

30 But as to thee and thy bondmen, I know that ye do not yet fear Jehovah Elohim.

31 And the flax and the barley were smitten; for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.

32 But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten; for they were not come out into ear.

33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread out his hands to Jehovah; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not [any more] poured on the earth.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'was in bud.'