8
1 The
LORD spoke to
Moses, “Go in
to Pharaoh, and tell
him, ‘This is
what the LORD says,
“Let my people go,
that they may
serve me.
2 If you refuse
to let them
go, behold, I
will plague all
your borders with
frogs.
3 The river
will swarm with
frogs, which will
go up and
come into
your house, and
into your bedroom,
and on your bed,
and into the house
of your servants,
and on your people,
and into
your ovens, and
into your kneading troughs.
4 The
frogs shall come
up both on
you, and on
your people, and
on all
your servants.” ’ ”
5 The
LORD said to Moses,
“Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand
with your rod over
the rivers, over
the streams, and
over the pools,
and cause frogs
to come up
on the land
of Egypt.’ ”
6 Aaron stretched
out his hand over
the waters of Egypt;
and the frogs
came up, and covered
the land of Egypt.
7 The magicians
did the same thing
with their enchantments,
and brought up
frogs on the land
of Egypt.
8 Then
Pharaoh called for
Moses and Aaron,
and said, “Entreat
the LORD, that
he take away
the frogs from
me and from
my people; and I
will let the people
go, that they
may sacrifice to
the LORD.”
9 Moses
said to Pharaoh, “I
give you the honor
of setting the time
that I should pray
for you, and
for your servants,
and for
your people, that
the frogs
be destroyed from
you and your
houses, and remain
in the river only.”
10 Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.”
Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that
there is no one like the LORD our God.
11 The frogs
shall depart from
you, and from
your houses, and
from your servants,
and from your
people. They shall
remain in the
river only.”
12 Moses
and Aaron went out
from Pharaoh, and
Moses cried to the
LORD concerning
the frogs which he
had brought
on Pharaoh.
13 The
LORD did according
to the word
of Moses, and
the frogs died out
of the houses, out
of the courts, and
out of the fields.
14 They
gathered them together
in heaps, and
the land stank.
15 But
when Pharaoh saw
that there was
a respite, he
hardened his heart,
and didn’t listen
to them, as
the LORD had
spoken.
16 The
LORD said to
Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch
out your rod,
and strike the dust
of the earth, that
it may become lice
throughout all the
land of Egypt.’ ”
17 They
did so; and Aaron
stretched out
his hand with
his rod, and struck
the dust of
the earth, and
there were lice
on man, and
on animal; all
the dust of
the earth became lice
throughout all
the land of Egypt.
18 The magicians tried with
their enchantments to
produce lice, but
they couldn’t. There
were lice on man,
and on animal.
19 Then
the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This
is God’s finger;” but Pharaoh’s
heart was hardened, and
he didn’t listen to
them, as the
LORD had spoken.
20 The
LORD said to Moses,
“Rise up early in
the morning, and stand
before Pharaoh; behold,
he comes out
to the water; and
tell him, ‘This
is what the
LORD says, “Let
my people go, that
they may serve
me.
21 Else, if
you will not
let my people go,
behold, I will send swarms
of flies on you,
and on
your servants, and
on your people,
and into
your houses. The houses
of the Egyptians
shall be full of swarms
of flies, and also
the ground they are
on.
22 I
will set apart in
that day the land
of Goshen, in
which my
people dwell, that
no swarms of flies
shall be there,
to the end you
may know that I
am the LORD
on the earth.
23 I
will put a division
between my people and
your people. This sign
shall happen by tomorrow.” ’ ”
24 The
LORD did so;
and there
came grievous swarms of flies
into the house of
Pharaoh, and into
his servants’ houses. In
all the land
of Egypt the land
was corrupted by reason
of the swarms
of flies.
25 Pharaoh called for
Moses and
for Aaron, and
said, “Go,
sacrifice to your
God in the land!”
26 Moses
said, “It isn’t appropriate
to do so;
for we
shall sacrifice the abomination
of the Egyptians
to the LORD
our God. Behold, if
we sacrifice the abomination
of the Egyptians
before their eyes, won’t
they stone us?
27 We
will go three days’ journey
into the wilderness,
and sacrifice to
the LORD our
God, as he
shall command us.”
28 Pharaoh said, “I
will let you
go, that you
may sacrifice to
the LORD your
God in
the wilderness, only
you shall not
go very far away.
Pray for me.”
29 Moses said, “Behold, I am
going out from you. I will pray to the LORD that the
swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from
his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more
in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the
LORD.”
30 Moses went out from Pharaoh,
and prayed to the LORD.
31 The LORD did
according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies
from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained
not one.
32 Pharaoh hardened his heart
this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.