He gave them hail for rain,.... Egypt, at least part of it, was not used to rain, but was watered by the overflowings of the Nile; but now it had hail for rain, and a grievous hail storm it was, such as was never seen in the land of Egypt before; hail being rare, if ever there, and so frost and snow (a); this was the seventh plague, Exo 9:18, compare with this the terrible storm of hail which will fall on men at the pouring out of the seventh vial on spiritual Egypt, Rev 16:21. And flaming fire in their land; for a storm of thunder and lightning went along with the hail; fire was mingled with it, and ran upon the ground, Exo 9:23. (a) Horat. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 26.