Ephrem the Syrian : "Hail and fire fell" together; neither did the hail extinguish the fire, nor did the fire melt the hail. Rather, it burst into flames in the hail as in a thicket and turned [the hail] as red as iron in the fire, blazing in the hail, and careful of the trees. The force [of the hail] "splintered the ancient trees," but the fire in [the hail] protected the hedges, seed beds and vineyards. — COMMENTARY ON Exodus 9:3