Exodus 9:32
“But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up.”
What does Exodus 9:32 mean?
When God sent hail as the ninth plague on Egypt, these particular crops escaped destruction simply because they hadn't yet sprouted or grown tall enough to be damaged by the storm. The barley and flax (mentioned in the previous verse) were more mature and therefore completely destroyed, while the wheat and spelt, being later-season crops, were still safely in the ground or just beginning to emerge. This detail matters because it shows us that even divine judgment follows natural patterns. God isn't described as arbitrarily destroying everything, but rather the consequences fall according to what was actually vulnerable at that moment. It's a reminder that throughout Scripture, God often works through the rhythms and realities of creation rather than in ways that completely suspend how the world actually functions.