Exodus 5

Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh

1 Later Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Let my people go into the desert to celebrate a festival in my honor.”2 Pharaoh asked, “Who is the Lord? Why should I obey him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I won’t let Israel go.”3 They replied, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don’t go, he may kill us with a plague or a war.”4 The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their work? Get back to work!”

5 Then Pharaoh added, “Look how many people there are in the land! Do you want them to quit working?”

Pharaoh Increases the Israelites’ Labor

6 That same day Pharaoh gave these orders to the slave drivers and foremen:7 “Don’t give the people any more straw to make bricks as you have been doing. Let them gather their own straw,8 but insist that they make the same number of bricks they were making before. Making fewer bricks will not be acceptable. They’re lazy! That’s why they’re crying, ‘Let us go offer sacrifices to our God.’

9 Make the work harder for these people so that they will be too busy to listen to lies.”
10 The slave drivers and foreman went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: I’m no longer giving you straw.

11 Get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work load will not be reduced one bit.”
12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

13 The slave drivers kept hurrying them. They said, “Finish the same amount of work each day, just as when you had straw.”
14 Pharaoh’s slave drivers had placed Israelite foremen in charge of the people. The slave drivers beat the foremen and said, “You didn’t finish all the bricks you were ordered to make yesterday or today. Why didn’t you make as many as you used to?”15 Then the Israelite foremen complained to Pharaoh. They asked, “Why are you treating us this way?

16 We’re given no straw, and yet we’re told to make bricks. We’re being beaten, but your men are at fault.”
17 “You’re lazy! Just plain lazy!” Pharaoh answered. “That’s why you keep saying, ‘Let us go offer sacrifices to the Lord.’

18 Now get back to work! You won’t be given any straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks.”
19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “Don’t make fewer bricks each day than you’re supposed to.”20 As they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting for them.

21 So they said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you! You have made Pharaoh and his officials hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us.”
22 Moses went back to the Lord and asked, “Why have you brought this trouble on your people? Why did you send me?

23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has treated your people cruelly, and you have done nothing at all to rescue your people.”

Exodus 6

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. I will show him my power, and he will let my people go. I will show him my power, and he will throw them out of his country.”

The Lord Tells Moses to Speak to Pharaoh Again

2 God spoke to Moses, “I am the Lord.3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but I didn’t make myself known to them by my name, the Lord.4 I even made a promiset to give them Canaan, the land where they lived as foreigners.

5 Now I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians hold in slavery, and I have remembered my promise.
6 “Tell the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord. I will bring you out from under the oppression of the Egyptians, and I will free you from slavery. I will rescue you with my powerful arm and with mighty acts of judgment.7 Then I will make you my people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the forced labor of the Egyptians.

8 I will bring you to the land I solemnly swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your own possession. I am the Lord.’ ”
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites. But they would not listen to him because they were so discouraged by their back–breaking work.10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses,

11 “Go tell Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) to let the Israelites leave his country.”
12 But Moses protested to the Lord, “The Israelites wouldn’t listen to me. Why would Pharaoh listen to me? I’m such a poor speaker.”13 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). He commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Aaron and Moses’ Ancestry—Genesis 46:9–11

14 These were the heads of the families:The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.These were the families descended from Reuben.15 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the families descended from Simeon.16 These are the names of the sons of Levi listed in birth order: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.17 The sons of Gershon listed by their families were Libni and Shimei.18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.These were the families descended from Levi listed in birth order.20 Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed. She gave birth to Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.21 The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.22 The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.23 Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon. She gave birth to Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.24 The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph.These were the families descended from Korah.25 Eleazar, son of Aaron, married one of the daughters of Putiel. She gave birth to Phinehas.These were the heads of Levite households listed by their families.26 This was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt in organized family groups.”

27 They—this same Moses and Aaron—told Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) to let the Israelites leave Egypt.

Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Snake

28 At that time the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt.

29 He said to Moses, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) everything I tell you.”
30 But Moses said to the Lord, “Why would Pharaoh listen to me?”

Exodus 7

1 The Lord answered Moses, “I have made you a god to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron is your prophet.2 Tell your brother Aaron everything I command you, and he must tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave the country.3 But I will make Pharaoh stubborn. Even though I will do many miraculous signs and amazing things in Egypt,4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will use my power to punish Egypt severely, and I will bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt in organized family groups.

5 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I use my power against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of there.”
6 Moses and Aaron did as the Lord had commanded them.

7 Moses was 80 years old and Aaron was 83 when they talked to Pharaoh.
8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Give me a sign to prove that God has sent you,’ tell Aaron, ‘Take your shepherd’s staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh,’ and it will become a large snake.”
10 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a large snake.11 Then Pharaoh sent for his wise men and sorcerers. These Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic spells.12 Each of them threw his staff down, and they all became large snakes. But Aaron’s staff swallowed theirs.

13 Yet, Pharaoh continued to be stubborn and would not listen to them, as the Lord had predicted.

The First Plague—The Nile River Turns Into Blood

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh is being stubborn. He refuses to let my people go.15 In the morning meet Pharaoh when he’s on his way to the Nile. Wait for him on the bank of the river. Take along the staff that turned into a snake.16 Say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews sent me to tell you, “Let my people go to worship me in the desert.” So far you have not listened.17 Here is what the Lord says: This is the way you will recognize that I am the Lord: With this staff in my hand, I’m going to strike the Nile, and the water will turn into blood.

18 The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink any water from the Nile.’ ”
19 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—its rivers, canals, ponds, and all its reservoirs—so that they turn into blood. There will be blood everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden and stone containers.’ ”20 Moses and Aaron did as the Lord had commanded. In front of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised his staff and struck the Nile. All the water in the river turned into blood.

21 The fish in the Nile died, and it smelled so bad that the Egyptians couldn’t drink any water from the river. There was blood everywhere in Egypt.
22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic spells. So Pharaoh continued to be stubborn and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, as the Lord had predicted.

23 Pharaoh turned and went back to his palace. He dismissed the entire matter from his mind.
24 All the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink because they couldn’t drink any of the water from the river.25 Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.