The Plague of Locusts
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh. I have made his heart stubborn. I have also made the hearts of his officials stubborn so I can do my miraculous signs among them.
2
Then you will be able to tell your children and grandchildren how hard I was on the Egyptians. You can tell them I did great miracles among the people of Egypt. And all of you will know that I am the Lord."
3
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said to him, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says, 'How long will you refuse to obey me? Let my people go. Then they will be able to worship me.
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" 'If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow.
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They will cover the ground so that it can't be seen. They will eat what little you have left after the hail. That includes every tree that is growing in your fields.
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They will fill your houses. They will be in the homes of all of your officials and your people. Your parents and your people before them have never seen anything like it as long as they have lived here.' " Then Moses turned around and left Pharaoh.
7
Pharaoh's officials said to him, "How long will this man be a trap for us? Let the people go. Then they'll be able to worship the LORD their God. After everything that's happened, don't you realize that Egypt is destroyed?"
8
Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "Go. Worship the LORD your God," he said. "But just who will be going?"
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Moses answered, "We'll go with our young people and old people. We'll go with our sons and daughters. We'll take our flocks and herds. We are supposed to hold a feast in the LORD's honor."
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Pharaoh said, "The LORD will really be with all of you if I ever let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are planning to do something bad.
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No! I'll only allow the men to go. Then all of you can worship the Lord. After all, that's what you have been asking for." Then Pharaoh drove Moses and Aaron out of his sight.
12
The LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand over Egypt. Locusts will cover the land. They will eat up everything that is growing in the fields. They will eat up everything that was left by the hail."
13
So Moses reached his wooden staff out over Egypt. Then the LORD made an east wind blow across the land. It blew all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts.
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They came into every part of Egypt. They settled down in every area of the country in large numbers. There had never been a plague of locusts like it before. And there will never be one like it again.
15
The locusts covered the ground until it was black. They ate up everything that was left after the hail. They ate up everything that was growing in the fields. They ate up the fruit on the trees. There was nothing green left on any tree or plant in the whole land of Egypt.
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Pharaoh quickly sent for Moses and Aaron. He said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God. I've also sinned against you.
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Now forgive my sin one more time. Pray to the LORD your God to take this deadly plague away from me."
18
After Moses left Pharaoh, he prayed to the Lord.
19
The LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind. The wind picked up the locusts. It blew them into the Red Sea. Not even one locust was left anywhere in Egypt.
20
But the LORD made Pharaoh's heart stubborn. And Pharaoh wouldn't let the people of Israel go.