שמות, פרק ט׳, פסוק כ״א

The reaction of the Egyptians to the impending plague of hail exposes a profound level of arrogance and denial. When given a simple opportunity to save human lives and prevent severe economic damage, many chose to completely ignore the divine warning, leaving their property exposed to destruction.

Logically, even a person lacking the fear of God would take basic precautions when faced with such a threat. Bringing slaves and animals indoors requires minimal effort and costs nothing, yet it prevents massive financial ruin. The choice to actively ignore the warning reveals an extreme level of mockery and pride. These individuals considered it beneath their dignity to even entertain the possibility of danger or to show any concern for the divine message [ביאור יש״ר].

This absolute dismissal stemmed from their past experiences. Throughout the previous six plagues, no miracle had ever descended from the sky. Because they had never witnessed such a phenomenon, they completely doubted His ability to produce hail from the heavens, refusing to take even the slightest precautionary measure [אור החיים].

The act of leaving their livestock out in the open was a natural and direct consequence of their refusal to listen [אבן עזרא]. At the same time, it highlighted a deliberate escalation in their rebellion. They actively chose to abandon their property outside, not out of laziness, but specifically to demonstrate their open contempt for God's word [אור החיים]. Ultimately, the direct result of this stubborn apathy was the tragic loss of both human life and property in the fields [ספורנו].

A practical question arises regarding how these Egyptians still possessed livestock, considering that the previous plague of pestilence was meant to wipe out their animals. The remaining livestock actually belonged to individuals who, purely by chance, had kept their animals indoors on the day the pestilence struck, allowing them to survive until the warning of the hail [חזקוני].