Study Desk

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said to him, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says this: ‘How long will you hold your pride before Me? Let My people go, so they may worship Me.

They will fill your houses, and the houses of your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians. Your fathers and your grandfathers have never seen such a thing from the day they were born until this day.'" Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.

The locusts came over all the land of Egypt and they stayed on the whole country of Egypt. There were very many. There had never been so many locusts. And there would never be so many again.

For they covered the whole land and made it dark. They ate every plant of the land, and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green was left on any tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt.

All these who are your servants will come to me and bow in front of me. They will say, ‘Go away, you and all the people who follow you.' After that I will go." And he went away from Pharaoh very angry.

Then they must take some of the blood and put it on the wood pieces at the sides and top of the door of each house where they will eat it.

They must eat the meat that same night, made ready over a fire. They will eat it with bread made without yeast and with bitter plants.

The people of Israel had done what Moses had said. They had asked the Egyptians for things made of silver and gold and for clothes.

And the Lord had given the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. So the Egyptians let them have whatever they asked for. And they took the best things of Egypt.

They made the dough they had brought out of Egypt into loaves of bread without yeast. Yeast was not added to the dough because they had been sent out of Egypt and could not wait. They could not make ready any food for themselves.

When Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even when that was nearer. For God said, "The people may change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt."

Then they left Succoth and set up their tents at Etham, beside the desert.

The Lord went before them, in a pillar of cloud during the day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire during the night to give them light. So they could travel day and night.

I will make Pharaoh's heart hard. And he will try to catch them. So I will be honored through Pharaoh and his whole army. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." And they did so.

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had left, Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds about the people. They said, "What is this we have done? We have let Israel go from working for us."

The Egyptians followed them with all the horses and war-wagons of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army. And they came to them at their tents by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

When Pharaoh came near, the people of Israel looked and saw the Egyptians coming after them. And they were filled with fear and cried out to the Lord.

I will make the Egyptians' hearts hard, so they will go after them. And I will be honored through Pharaoh and his whole army, his war-wagons and his horsemen.

Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians. And the people had fear of the Lord. They believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.

You, Lord, blew with Your wind and the sea covered them. They went down like iron in the powerful sea.