Study Desk

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, as he comes out to the water; and say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: "Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.

"But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that I, the LORD, am in the midst of the land.

Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, so that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Plead for me."

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews says: "Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.

"But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel."'"

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews says: "Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.

"For this time I am going to send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.

Now the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand toward the sky, so that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on every person and animal, and on every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt."

Moses said to him, "As soon as I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease and there will no longer be hail, so that you may know that the earth is the LORD'S.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, so that I may perform these signs of Mine among them,

and that you may tell in the presence of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, so that you may know that I am the LORD."

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, "This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews says: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.

'And they will cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. They will also eat the rest of what has survived—what is left to you from the hail—and they will eat every tree of yours which grows in the field.

Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is destroyed?"

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come up on the land of Egypt and eat every plant of the land, everything that the hail has left."

For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Therefore nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field throughout the land of Egypt.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand toward the sky, so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt."

But Moses said, "You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, so that we may sacrifice them to the LORD our God.

"Speak now so that the people hear, that each man is to ask of his neighbor, and each woman of her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold."

'But not even a dog will threaten any of the sons of Israel, nor anything from person to animal, so that you may learn how the LORD distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.'