Exodus 9; Exodus 10; Exodus 11

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, and tell him, 'This is what the LORD God of the Hebrews says: Let my people go to worship me.

2 If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them [in slavery],

3 the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock, including your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats.

4 But the LORD will distinguish between Israel's livestock and the livestock of the Egyptians. No animals belonging to the Israelites will die.'"

5 The LORD set a definite time. He said, "Tomorrow I will do this."

6 The next day the LORD did as he said. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but none of the Israelites' animals died.

7 Pharaoh found out that not one of the Israelites' animals had died. Yet, Pharaoh continued to be stubborn and would not let the people go.

8 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take a handful of ashes from a kiln, and have Moses throw them up in the air as Pharaoh watches.

9 They will become a fine dust throughout Egypt. The dust will cause boils to break into open sores on people and animals throughout Egypt."

10 They took ashes from a kiln and stood in front of Pharaoh. Moses threw the ashes up in the air, and they caused boils to break into open sores on people and animals.

11 The magicians couldn't compete with Moses because they had boils like all the other Egyptians.

12 But the LORD made Pharaoh stubborn, so he wouldn't listen to Moses and Aaron, as the LORD had predicted to Moses.

13 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Early in the morning, go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD God of the Hebrews says: Let my people go to worship me.

14 Now I will send plagues that will affect you personally as well as your officials and people. This is how you will know that there is no one like me anywhere on earth.

15 By now I could have used my power to kill you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth.

16 But I have spared you for this reason. I want to show you my power and make my name famous throughout the earth.

17 You are still blocking my people from leaving.

18 So, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever happened in Egypt since the beginning of its history.

19 Now, send [servants] to bring your livestock and everything else you have indoors. All people and animals still outside and not brought in will die when the hail falls on them.'"

20 Those members of Pharaoh's court who listened to the LORD's warning brought their servants and cattle indoors quickly.

21 But those who didn't take the LORD's warning seriously left their servants and animals out in the open.

22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift your hand toward the sky, and hail will fall on people, animals, and every plant in the fields of Egypt."

23 When Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD made it hail on Egypt.

24 It hailed, and lightning flashed while it hailed. This was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.

25 All over Egypt the hail knocked down everything that was out in the open. It struck down people, animals, and every plant in the fields and destroyed every tree in the fields.

26 The only place it didn't hail was the region of Goshen, where the Israelites lived.

27 Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he told them. "The LORD is right, and my people and I are wrong.

28 Pray to the LORD. We've had enough of God's thunder and hail. I'll let you go; you don't have to stay here any longer."

29 Moses replied, "As soon as I'm out of the city, I'll spread out my hands to the LORD in prayer. The thunder will stop, and there will be no more hail. This is how you will know that the earth belongs to the LORD.

30 But I know that you and your officials still don't fear the LORD God."

31 (The flax and the barley were ruined, because the barley had formed heads and the flax was in bloom.

32 Neither the wheat nor the wild grain was damaged, because they ripen later.)

33 As soon as he left Pharaoh and went out of the city, Moses spread out his hands to the LORD in prayer. The thunder and the hail stopped, and no more rain came pouring down on the ground.

34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had stopped, he sinned again. He and his officials continued to be stubborn.

35 Pharaoh was stubborn and would not let the Israelites go, as the LORD had predicted through Moses.

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh. I have made him and his officials stubborn so that I can do these miraculous signs among them.

2 You will be able to tell your children and grandchildren exactly how I treated the Egyptians and what miraculous signs I did among them. This is how you will all know that I am the LORD."

3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, "This is what the LORD God of the Hebrews says: How long will you refuse to humble yourself in my presence? Let my people go to worship me.

4 If you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country.

5 They will cover the land so that the ground can't be seen. They will eat everything left by the hail, including every tree still standing in the fields.

6 They will fill your houses and the houses of all your officials and those of all the Egyptians. Your parents and ancestors never saw anything like this from the time they first came here until now." Moses turned and left Pharaoh.

7 Then Pharaoh's officials asked him, "How long will this man hold us in his grip? Let the Israelite men go to worship the LORD their God. When will you realize that Egypt is ruined?"

8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "Go, worship the LORD your God," he said to them. "But exactly who will be going?"

9 Moses answered, "Everyone! We'll be taking our young and old, our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds with us. For us it's a pilgrimage festival in the LORD's honor."

10 Pharaoh said to them, "The LORD would have to be with you if I would ever let you take your women and children along. I know you're up to no good!

11 No! Only the men may go to worship the LORD, since that's what you've been asking for." Then Moses and Aaron were thrown out of Pharaoh's palace.

12 The LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over Egypt to bring locusts. They will invade Egypt and eat up every plant in the land--everything left by the hail."

13 Moses held his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD made a wind from the east blow over the land all that day and all that night. By morning the east wind had brought the locusts.

14 They invaded all of Egypt and landed all over the country in great swarms. Never before had there been so many locusts like this, nor would there ever be that many again.

15 They covered all the ground until it was black [with them]. They ate all the plants and all the fruit on the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green was left on any tree or plant anywhere in Egypt.

16 Then Pharaoh quickly called for Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.

17 Please forgive my sin one more time. Pray to the LORD your God to take this deadly plague away from me."

18 Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD.

19 Then the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind. It picked up the locusts and blew them into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left anywhere in Egypt.

20 But the LORD made Pharaoh stubborn, so he did not let the Israelites go.

21 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift your hand toward the sky, and a darkness [so thick] that it can be felt will come over Egypt."

22 Moses lifted his hand toward the sky, and throughout Egypt there was total darkness for three days.

23 People couldn't see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the Israelites had light where they were living.

24 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and said, "Go, worship the LORD! Even your women and children may go with you, but your flocks and herds must stay behind."

25 But Moses said, "You must allow us to take [our animals] for the sacrifices and burnt offerings we have to make to the LORD our God.

26 All our livestock must go with us. Not one animal must be left behind. We'll have to use some of them for worshiping the LORD our God, and we won't know what we'll need until we get there."

27 But the LORD made Pharaoh stubborn, so he refused to let them go.

28 Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my sight! Don't ever let me see your face again. The day I do, you will die."

29 "You're right!" Moses answered. "You'll never see my face again."

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and Egypt. After that he will let you go. When he does, he will be certain to force all of you out of here.

2 Now announce to the people [of Israel] that each man and woman must ask the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry."

3 The LORD made the Egyptians kind to the people. And Moses was highly respected by Pharaoh's officials and all the Egyptians.

4 Moses said, "This is what the LORD says: About midnight I will go out among the Egyptians.

5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who rules the land, to the firstborn children of female slaves who use their handmills, including every firstborn domestic animal.

6 There will be loud crying throughout Egypt, such as there has never been or ever will be again.

7 But where the Israelites are, not even a dog will be startled by any person or animal. This is how you will see that the LORD shows the distinction between Egypt and Israel.

8 Then all these officials of yours will come, bow down to me, and say, 'You and all the people who follow you, get out!' After that I will leave." Burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh.

9 The LORD had said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you. This is why I will do more amazing things in Egypt."

10 Moses and Aaron showed Pharaoh all these amazing things. Yet, the LORD made Pharaoh stubborn, so he wouldn't let the Israelites leave his country.