But the wheat and the rye were not smitten: for they were not grown up.
not grown up.
because they are late crops
Wheat and spelt are described as late crops, meaning they mature later in the growing season compared to barley and flax, which were destroyed by the hail. This agricultural detail provides insight into the timing of the plagues, likely occurring around February or March. The survival of these crops serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the precision of His judgments. It also foreshadows the continued opportunity for Pharaoh to repent, as the preservation of these crops suggests that God’s judgments are not yet final. This concept of divine timing and mercy is echoed in other scriptures, such as 2 Peter 3:9, which speaks of God's patience and desire for repentance.
• The verse opens with a contrast that links back to Exodus 9:31, where the flax and barley were ruined by the devastating hail. This little word signals that God’s judgment, though fierce, was also measured (cf. Exodus 9:4; Psalm 103:10).
• By inserting “but,” Scripture shows that the LORD’s sovereignty includes both destruction and preservation, underscoring His purposeful control over every detail (cf. Job 37:11-13).
• Wheat was Israel’s staple grain for bread (Genesis 30:14; Deuteronomy 8:8). Spelt, a hardy cousin of wheat, served as a backup crop when conditions were harsh (Isaiah 28:25).
• Mentioning both highlights God’s ongoing provision: even in judgment, He leaves what is essential for sustenance, echoing His promise never to wipe out His covenant people (Leviticus 26:44; Romans 11:5).
• The hailstorm “struck down everything in the field” (Exodus 9:25), yet these two crops “were not destroyed.” This selective damage demonstrates that the LORD can differentiate between what is touched by His wrath and what is shielded (cf. Exodus 8:22; 9:4).
• It also foreshadows the ultimate deliverance of Israel from Egypt—divine discipline against the oppressor, mercy toward the oppressed (Psalm 78:48-49, 52).
• Wheat and spelt mature later in the season, so their heads were still green and pliable; the hail could beat them down without shattering them. God’s timing in the plague coincided with each plant’s stage of growth (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2).
• This natural detail reinforces the literal reliability of Scripture and reveals the LORD’s intimate knowledge of creation (Matthew 6:30; Luke 12:7).
• Practically, the spared crops offered Egypt a chance to repent and prepare (2 Peter 3:9), while providing Israel with food when the Exodus began (Exodus 12:34-36).
Exodus 9:32 teaches that God’s judgments are never random: He strikes decisively yet mercifully, preserving what His people will need. The spared wheat and spelt prove His sovereign precision, His care for daily bread, and His faithful commitment to keep a remnant even amid wrath.
(32) The wheat and the rie.--"Rie," or rye, is a wrong translation. It is a grain which has never been grown in Egypt. The only three kinds of grain cultivated were wheat, barley, and the holcus sorghum, or doora. There is no doubt that this last is intended by the Hebrew cussemeth, which is a word derived from the Egyptian. The wheat is a full month later than the barley in Egypt, and does not come into ear till March. The holcus sorghum may be grown at any time, except during the inundation. If sown with the wheat, it would ripen about the same period.They were not grown up.--Heb., they were late, or dark. The ear was undeveloped, and lay hid in the low tufts that grew like grass.
Verse 32. - The wheat and the rie were not smitten, for they were not grown up. In Egypt the wheat harvest is at least a month later than the barley harvest, coming in April, whereas the barley harvest is finished by the end of March. Rye was not grown in Egypt; and it is generally agreed that the Hebrew word here translated "rie" means the Holcus sorghum, or doora, which is the only grain besides wheat and barley represented on the Egyptian monuments. The doora is now raised commonly as an after-crop; but, if sown late in the autumn, it would ripen about the same time as the wheat.