H1259 H1259
Hail, hailstones—a destructive weather phenomenon wielded as divine judgment
The Hebrew noun בָּרָד denotes hailstones, appearing most prominently in the seventh plague upon Egypt (Exod 9:18-34), where it falls mingled with fire and thunder in an unprecedented storm. Beyond the Exodus narrative, hail serves as a weapon of theophanic judgment: God hurls 'great stones from heaven' at the Amorites (Josh 10:11), stores hail in divine armories (Job 38:22), and deploys it eschatologically (Isa 28:2, 17; Ezek 38:22; Hag 2:17). The Arabic cognate بَرَدٌ and Aramaic בְּרַד confirm the Semitic root's consistent meteorological reference. Every occurrence in Scripture frames hail as God's sovereign instrument.
Senses
1. hail (weather phenomenon) — Hailstones as a destructive natural phenomenon under divine control, used as an instrument of judgment. The Exodus plague narrative (Exod 9:18-34) provides the densest cluster, with hail paired with thunder, rain, and fire. Joshua 10:11 describes lethal hailstones killing more Amorites than Israel's swords. The Psalms celebrate this divine arsenal (Ps 18:13, 78:47-48, 105:32, 148:8), and the prophets deploy hail imagery for eschatological devastation (Isa 28:2, 17; Ezek 13:11-13, 38:22). 29×
AR["البَرَدِ", "الْ-بَرَدُ", "الْ-بَرَدِ", "الْبَرَدُ", "الْبَرَدِ", "بَرَدًا", "بَرَدٌ", "وَالْبَرَدُ", "وَبَرَدًا", "وَبَرَدٌ"]·ben["এবং-শিলাবৃষ্টি", "শিলা", "শিলাবৃষ্টি", "শিলাবৃষ্টি-রূপে", "শিলাবৃষ্টির"]·DE["Hagel", "[ברד]", "der-Hagel", "hail", "und-Hagel", "und-der-Hagel"]·EN["and-hail", "and-the-hail", "hail", "the-hail"]·FR["dans-grêle", "et-grêle", "et-le-grêle", "grêle", "le-grêle", "le-hail"]·heb["ברד", "ה-ברד", "ו-ברד", "ו-ה-ברד"]·HI["ओला", "ओले", "ओले-के", "ओलों", "ओलों-के", "ओलों-ने", "और-ओले"]·ID["dan-hujan-es", "hujan-es"]·IT["e-grandine", "e-il-grandine", "grandine", "il-grandine", "il-hail"]·jav["lan-udan-ès", "udan-es", "udan-ès", "woh-és", "wos-ès"]·KO["그-우박의", "그-우박이", "그리고-그-우박은", "그리고-우박을", "그리고-우박의", "우박", "우박-과", "우박-으로", "우박을", "우박이"]·PT["de-granizo", "e-granizo", "e-o-granizo", "granizo", "o-granizo"]·RU["град", "града", "и-град", "и-града"]·ES["el-granizo", "granizo", "y-el-granizo", "y-granizo"]·SW["ha-mvua-ya-mawe", "kisima", "mvua-ya-mawe", "na-mvua-ya-mawe"]·TR["dolu", "doludan", "dolunun", "ve-dolu", "ve-dolunun"]·urd["اور-اولے", "اولوں-نے", "اولوں-کے", "اولے"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† בָּרָד n.m. Ex 9:18 hail (Arabic بَرَدٌ, Aramaic בְּרַד, ܒܰܪܕܳܐ; also Sab. ברדם, cold DHMZMG 1875, 607)—בָּרָד Ex 9:18 + 28 times;—hail, c. המטיר י׳ Ex 9:18, 23, c. נתן י׳ 9:23; also Ex 9:19, 22, 24, 25, 25, 26; 10:5, 12, 15; ‖ קֹלֹת thunder Ex 9:23, 28, 29, 33, ‖ קֹלֹת & מָטָר Ex 9:34, ‖ אשׁ lightning 9:24; all JE, Egyptian plague; cf. ψ 78:47, 48; 105:32; another great hailstorm Jos 10:11…