Exodus 8

The Second Plague: Frogs

1 t Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with frogs.3 The Nile shall swarm with frogs that shall come up into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people,t and into your ovens and your kneading bowls.4 The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your servants."'"5 t And the Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt!'"6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.7 But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

8 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, "Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord."9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile."10 And he said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.11 The frogs shall go away from you and your houses and your servants and your people. They shall be left only in the Nile."12 So Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the Lord about the frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh.t13 And the Lord did according to the word of Moses. The frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields.14 And 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 would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The Third Plague: Gnats

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.'"17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt.18 The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast.19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The Fourth Plague: Flies

20 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.21 Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.22 But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.t23 Thus I will put a divisiont between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen."'"24 And the Lord did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.

25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God within the land."26 But Moses said, "It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?27 We must go three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he tells us."28 So Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. Plead for me."29 Then Moses said, "Behold, I am going out from you and I will plead with the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh cheat again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord."30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord.31 And the Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained.32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.

Exodus 8

The Second Blow: Frogs

1 s Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Release my people in order that they may serve me!2 But if you refuse to release them, then I am going to plaguet all your territory with frogs.ts3 The Nile will swarms with frogs, and they will come up and go into your house, in your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading troughs.s

4 Frogst will come up against you, your people, and all your servants.”’”s
5 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Extend your hand with your staffs over the rivers, over the canals, and over the ponds, and bring the frogs up over the land of Egypt.’”

6 So Aaron extended his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogst came up and covered the land of Egypt.

7 The magicians did the samet with their secret arts and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt too.s
8 Then Pharaoh summonedt Moses and Aaron and said, “Prayt to the Lord that he may take the frogs awayts from me and my people, and I will releaset the people that they may sacrificet to the Lord.”9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor over met – when shall I pray for you, your servants, and your people, for the frogs to be removedt from you and your houses, so thatt they will be leftt only in the Nile?”10 He said, “Tomorrow.” And Moses said,t “It will bet as you say,t so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.

11 The frogs will depart from you, your houses, your servants, and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.”
12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses criedt to the Lord because oft the frogs that he had brought ont Pharaoh.13 The Lord did as Moses askedt – thet frogs died out of the houses, the villages, and the fields.14 The Egyptianst piled them in countless heaps,t and the land stank.

15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief,t he hardenedt his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.s

The Third Blow: Gnats

16 s The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Extend your staff and strike the dust of the ground, and it will becomet gnatst throughout all the land of Egypt.’”17 They did so; Aaron extended his hand with his staff, he struck the dust of the ground, and it became gnats on peoplet and on animals. All the dust of the ground became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.18 Whent the magicians attemptedts to bring forth gnats by their secret arts, they could not. So there were gnats on people and on animals.

19 The magicians saidt to Pharaoh, “It is the fingerts of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard,t and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.

The Fourth Blow: Flies

20 s The Lordt said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and position yourself before Pharaoh as he goes out to the water, and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Release my people that they may serve me!21 If you do not releaset my people, then I am going to sendt swarms of fliest on you and on your servants and on your people and in your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground they stand on.t22 But on that day I will mark offt the land of Goshen, where my people are staying,t so that no swarms of flies will be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of this land.t23 I will put a divisiont between my people and your people. This sign will take placet tomorrow.”’”

24 The Lord did so; at thickt swarm of flies came intot Pharaoh’s house and into the housest of his servants, and throughout the whole land of Egypt the land was ruinedsst because of the swarms of flies.
25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.”s26 But Moses said, “That would not be the right thing to do,t for the sacrifices we maket to the Lord our God would be an abominationt to the Egyptians.s If we make sacrifices that are an abomination to the Egyptians right before their eyes,t will they not stone us?t

27 We must got on a three-day journeyt into the desert and sacrificet to the Lord our God, just as he is telling us.”t

28 Pharaoh said, “I will release yous so that you may sacrificet to the Lord your God in the desert. Only you must not go very far.t Dot pray for me.”
29 Moses said, “I am going to go outt from you and pray to the Lord, and the swarms of flies will go away from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow. Only do not let Pharaoh deal falsely againt by not releasingt the people to sacrifice to the Lord.”30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord,31 and the Lord did as Moses askedt – he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained!

32 But Pharaoh hardenedt his heart this time also and did not release the people.