Exodus 8-10 - Prayer Tents

A Plague of Frogs

8 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go back to Pharaoh and announce to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.H3068H559H4872H935H6547H559H559H3068H5971H7971H5647 2If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs across your entire land.H3986H7971H5062H1366H6854 3The Nile River will swarm with frogs. They will come up out of the river and into your palace, even into your bedroom and onto your bed! They will enter the houses of your officials and your people. They will even jump into your ovens and your kneading bowls.H2975H8317H6854H8317H5927H935H1004H2315H4904H4296H1004H5650H5971H8574H4863 4Frogs will jump on you, your people, and all your officials.'"H6854H5927H5971H5650 5Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Raise the staff in your hand over all the rivers, canals, and ponds of Egypt, and bring up frogs over all the land.'"H3068H559H4872H559H175H5186H3027H4294H5104H2975H98H6854H5927H776H4714 6So Aaron raised his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs came up and covered the whole land!H175H5186H3027H4325H4714H6854H5927H3680H776H4714 7But the magicians were able to do the same thing with their magic. They, too, caused frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.H2748H6213H3909H5927H6854H776H4714 8Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and begged, "Plead with the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. I will let your people go, so they can offer sacrifices to the LORD."H6547H7121H4872H175H559H6279H3068H5493H6854H5971H5971H7971H2076H3068 9"You set the time!" Moses replied. "Tell me when you want me to pray for you, your officials, and your people. Then you and your houses will be rid of the frogs. They will remain only in the Nile River."H4872H559H6547H6286H4970H6279H5650H5971H3772H6854H1004H7604H2975 10"Do it tomorrow," Pharaoh said. "All right," Moses replied, "it will be as you have said. Then you will know that there is no one like the LORD our God.H559H4279H559H1697H3045H3068H430 11The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials, and your people. They will remain only in the Nile River."H6854H5493H1004H5650H5971H7604H2975 12So Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh's palace, and Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs he had inflicted on Pharaoh.H4872H175H3318H6547H4872H6817H3068H1697H6854H7760H6547 13And the LORD did just what Moses had predicted. The frogs in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields all died.H3068H6213H1697H4872H6854H4191H1004H2691H7704 14The Egyptians piled them into great heaps, and a terrible stench filled the land.H6651H2563H776H887 15But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted.H6547H7200H7309H3513H3820H8085H3068H1696

A Plague of Gnats

16So the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Raise your staff and strike the ground. The dust will turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.'"H3068H559H4872H559H175H5186H4294H5221H6083H776H3654H776H4714 17So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. When Aaron raised his hand and struck the ground with his staff, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats.H6213H175H5186H3027H4294H5221H6083H776H3654H120H929H6083H776H3654H776H4714 18Pharaoh's magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered everyone, people and animals alike.H2748H6213H3909H3318H3654H3201H3654H120H929 19"This is the finger of God!" the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh's heart remained hard. He wouldn't listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted.H2748H559H6547H676H430H6547H3820H2388H8085H3068H1696

A Plague of Flies

20Then the LORD told Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand in Pharaoh's way as he goes down to the river. Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.H3068H559H4872H7925H1242H3320H6440H6547H3318H4325H559H559H3068H5971H7971H5647 21If you refuse, then I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, your people, and all the houses. The Egyptian homes will be filled with flies, and the ground will be covered with them.H5971H7971H7971H6157H5650H5971H1004H1004H4714H4390H6157H127 22But this time I will spare the region of Goshen, where my people live. No flies will be found there. Then you will know that I am the LORD and that I am present even in the heart of your land.H6395H3117H776H1657H5971H5975H1115H6157H1961H4616H3045H3068H7130H776 23I will make a clear distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will happen tomorrow.'"H7760H6304H5971H5971H4279H226 24And the LORD did just as he had said. A thick swarm of flies filled Pharaoh's palace and the houses of his officials. The whole land of Egypt was thrown into chaos by the flies.H3068H6213H935H3515H6157H1004H6547H5650H1004H776H4714H776H7843H6440H6157 25Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. "All right! Go ahead and offer sacrifices to your God," he said. "But do it here in this land."H6547H7121H413H4872H175H559H3212H2076H430H776 26But Moses replied, "That wouldn't be right. The Egyptians detest the sacrifices that we offer to the LORD our God. Look, if we offer our sacrifices here where the Egyptians can see us, they will stone us.H4872H559H3559H6213H2005H2076H8441H4714H3068H430H2076H8441H4714H5869H5619 27We must take a three-day trip into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, just as he has commanded us."H3212H7969H3117H1870H4057H2076H3068H430H559 28"All right, go ahead," Pharaoh replied. "I will let you go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God. But don't go too far away. Now hurry and pray for me."H6547H559H7971H2076H3068H430H4057H3212H7368H7368H6279H1157 29Moses answered, "As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the LORD, and tomorrow the swarms of flies will disappear from you and your officials and all your people. But I am warning you, Pharaoh, don't lie to us again and refuse to let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD."H4872H559H3318H6279H3068H6157H5493H6547H5650H5971H4279H7535H6547H2048H3254H1115H5971H7971H2076H3068 30So Moses left Pharaoh's palace and pleaded with the LORD to remove all the flies.H4872H3318H6547H6279H3068 31And the LORD did as Moses asked and caused the swarms of flies to disappear from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. Not a single fly remained.H3068H6213H1697H4872H5493H6157H6547H5650H5971H7604H259 32But Pharaoh again became stubborn and refused to let the people go.H6547H3513H3820H6471H5971H7971

A Plague against Livestock

9"Go back to Pharaoh," the LORD commanded Moses. "Tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.H3068H559H4872H935H6547H1696H559H3068H430H5680H5971H7971H5647 2If you continue to hold them and refuse to let them go,H3986H7971H2388 3the hand of the LORD will strike all your livestock—your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—with a deadly plague.H3027H3068H1961H4735H7704H5483H2543H1581H1241H6629H3966H3515H1698 4But the LORD will again make a distinction between the livestock of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. Not a single one of Israel's animals will die!H3068H6395H4735H3478H4735H4714H1697H4191H1121H3478 5The LORD has already set the time for the plague to begin. He has declared that he will strike the land tomorrow.'"H3068H7760H4150H559H4279H3068H6213H1697H776 6And the LORD did just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but the Israelites didn't lose a single animal.H3068H6213H1697H4283H4735H4714H4191H4735H1121H3478H4191H259 7Pharaoh sent his officials to investigate, and they discovered that the Israelites had not lost a single animal! But even so, Pharaoh's heart remained stubborn, and he still refused to let the people go.H6547H7971H259H4735H3478H4191H3820H6547H3513H5971H7971

A Plague of Festering Boils

8Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a brick kiln, and have Moses toss it into the air while Pharaoh watches.H3068H559H4872H175H3947H2651H4393H6368H3536H4872H2236H8064H5869H6547 9The ashes will spread like fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, causing festering boils to break out on people and animals throughout the land."H80H776H4714H7822H6524H76H120H929H776H4714 10So they took soot from a brick kiln and went and stood before Pharaoh. As Pharaoh watched, Moses threw the soot into the air, and boils broke out on people and animals alike.H3947H6368H3536H5975H6440H6547H4872H2236H8064H7822H6524H76H120H929 11Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and all the Egyptians.H2748H3201H5975H6440H4872H6440H7822H7822H2748H4714 12But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and just as the LORD had predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.H3068H2388H3820H6547H8085H3068H1696H4872

A Plague of Hail

13Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.H3068H559H4872H7925H1242H3320H6440H6547H559H559H3068H430H5680H5971H7971H5647 14If you don't, I will send more plagues on you and your officials and your people. Then you will know that there is no one like me in all the earth.H6471H7971H4046H3820H5650H5971H3045H776 15By now I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth.H7971H3027H5221H5971H1698H3582H776 16But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth.H199H5668H5975H7200H3581H8034H5608H776 17But you still lord it over my people and refuse to let them go.H5549H5971H7971 18So tomorrow at this time I will send a hailstorm more devastating than any in all the history of Egypt.H4279H6256H4305H3966H3515H1259H3644H4714H4480H3117H3245 19Quick! Order your livestock and servants to come in from the fields to find shelter. Any person or animal left outside will die when the hail falls.'"H7971H5756H4735H7704H120H929H4672H7704H622H1004H1259H3381H4191 20Some of Pharaoh's officials were afraid because of what the LORD had said. They quickly brought their servants and livestock in from the fields.H3373H1697H3068H5650H6547H5650H4735H5127H1004 21But those who paid no attention to the word of the LORD left theirs out in the open.H7760H3820H1697H3068H5800H5650H4735H7704 22Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift your hand toward the sky so hail may fall on the people, the livestock, and all the plants throughout the land of Egypt."H3068H559H4872H5186H3027H8064H1259H776H4714H120H929H6212H7704H776H4714 23So Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed toward the earth. The LORD sent a tremendous hailstorm against all the land of Egypt.H4872H5186H4294H8064H3068H5414H6963H1259H784H1980H776H3068H4305H1259H776H4714 24Never in all the history of Egypt had there been a storm like that, with such devastating hail and continuous lightning.H1259H784H3947H8432H1259H3966H3515H3808H776H4714H1471 25It left all of Egypt in ruins. The hail struck down everything in the open field—people, animals, and plants alike. Even the trees were destroyed.H1259H5221H776H4714H7704H120H929H1259H5221H6212H7704H7665H6086H7704 26The only place without hail was the region of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived.H776H1657H1121H3478H1259 27Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he confessed. "The LORD is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong.H6547H7971H7121H4872H175H559H2398H6471H3068H6662H5971H7563 28Please beg the LORD to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We've had enough. I will let you go; you don't need to stay any longer."H6279H3068H7227H430H6963H1259H7971H5975H3254 29"All right," Moses replied. "As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the LORD. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know that the earth belongs to the LORD.H4872H559H3318H5892H6566H3709H3068H6963H2308H1259H3045H776H3068 30But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God."H5650H3045H3372H6440H3068H430 31(All the flax and barley were ruined by the hail, because the barley had formed heads and the flax was budding.H6594H8184H5221H8184H24H6594H1392 32But the wheat and the emmer wheat were spared, because they had not yet sprouted from the ground.)H2406H3698H5221H2007H648 33So Moses left Pharaoh's court and went out of the city. When he lifted his hands to the LORD, the thunder and hail stopped, and the downpour ceased.H4872H3318H5892H6547H6566H3709H3068H6963H1259H2308H4306H5413H776 34But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn.H6547H7200H4306H1259H6963H2308H2398H3254H3513H3820H5650 35Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the LORD had predicted through Moses.H3820H6547H2388H1121H3478H7971H3068H1696H3027H4872

A Plague of Locusts

10Then the LORD said to Moses, "Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can display my miraculous signs among them.H3068H559H4872H935H6547H3513H3820H3820H5650H7896H226H7130 2I've also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the LORD."H5608H241H1121H1121H1121H5953H4714H226H7760H3045H3068 3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me.H4872H175H935H6547H559H559H3068H430H5680H4970H3985H6031H6440H5971H7971H5647 4If you refuse, watch out! For tomorrow I will bring a swarm of locusts on your country.H3588H3986H5971H7971H4279H935H697H1366 5They will cover the land so that you won't be able to see the ground. They will devour what little is left of your crops after the hailstorm, including all the trees growing in the fields.H3680H5869H776H3201H7200H776H398H3499H6413H7604H1259H398H6086H6779H7704 6They will overrun your palaces and the homes of your officials and all the houses in Egypt. Never in the history of Egypt have your ancestors seen a plague like this one!" And with that, Moses turned and left Pharaoh.H4390H1004H1004H5650H1004H4714H1H1H1H7200H3117H127H3117H6437H3318H6547 7Pharaoh's officials now came to Pharaoh and appealed to him. "How long will you let this man hold us hostage? Let the men go to worship the LORD their God! Don't you realize that Egypt lies in ruins?"H6547H5650H559H4170H582H7971H5647H3068H430H3045H2962H4714H6 8So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "All right," he told them, "go and worship the LORD your God. But who exactly will be going with you?"H4872H175H7725H6547H559H3212H5647H3068H430H1980 9Moses replied, "We will all go—young and old, our sons and daughters, and our flocks and herds. We must all join together in celebrating a festival to the LORD."H4872H559H3212H5288H2205H1121H1323H6629H1241H3212H2282H3068 10Pharaoh retorted, "The LORD will certainly need to be with you if I let you take your little ones! I can see through your evil plan.H559H3068H7971H2945H7200H7451H6440 11Never! Only the men may go and worship the LORD, since that is what you requested." And Pharaoh threw them out of the palace.H3212H1397H5647H3068H1245H1644H6547H6440 12Then the LORD said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring on the locusts. Let them cover the land and devour every plant that survived the hailstorm."H3068H559H4872H5186H3027H776H4714H697H5927H776H4714H398H6212H776H1259H7604 13So Moses raised his staff over Egypt, and the LORD caused an east wind to blow over the land all that day and through the night. When morning arrived, the east wind had brought the locusts.H4872H5186H4294H776H4714H3068H5090H6921H7307H776H3117H3915H1242H6921H7307H5375H697 14And the locusts swarmed over the whole land of Egypt, settling in dense swarms from one end of the country to the other. It was the worst locust plague in Egyptian history, and there has never been another one like it.H697H5927H776H4714H5117H1366H4714H3966H3515H6440H3651H697H310 15For the locusts covered the whole country and darkened the land. They devoured every plant in the fields and all the fruit on the trees that had survived the hailstorm. Not a single leaf was left on the trees and plants throughout the land of Egypt.H3680H5869H776H776H2821H398H6212H776H6529H6086H1259H3498H3498H3418H6086H6212H7704H776H4714 16Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you," he confessed.H6547H7121H4872H175H4116H559H2398H3068H430 17"Forgive my sin, just this once, and plead with the LORD your God to take away this death from me."H5375H2403H6471H6279H3068H430H5493H4194 18So Moses left Pharaoh's court and pleaded with the LORD.H3318H6547H6279H3068 19The LORD responded by shifting the wind, and the strong west wind blew the locusts into the Red Sea. Not a single locust remained in all the land of Egypt.H3068H2015H3966H2389H3220H7307H5375H697H8628H5488H3220H7604H259H697H1366H4714 20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart again, so he refused to let the people go.H3068H2388H6547H3820H1121H3478H7971

A Plague of Darkness

21Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift your hand toward heaven, and the land of Egypt will be covered with a darkness so thick you can feel it."H3068H559H4872H5186H3027H8064H2822H776H4714H2822H4959 22So Moses lifted his hand to the sky, and a deep darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days.H4872H5186H3027H8064H653H2822H776H4714H7969H3117 23During all that time the people could not see each other, and no one moved. But there was light as usual where the people of Israel lived.H7200H376H251H6965H376H7969H3117H1121H3478H216H4186 24Finally, Pharaoh called for Moses. "Go and worship the LORD," he said. "But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you."H6547H7121H4872H559H3212H5647H3068H6629H1241H3322H2945H3212 25"No," Moses said, "you must provide us with animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to the LORD our God.H4872H559H5414H3027H2077H5930H6213H3068H430 26All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind. We must choose our sacrifices for the LORD our God from among these animals. And we won't know how we are to worship the LORD until we get there."H4735H3212H6541H7604H3947H5647H3068H430H3045H5647H3068H935 27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart once more, and he would not let them go.H3068H2388H6547H3820H14H7971 28"Get out of here!" Pharaoh shouted at Moses. "I'm warning you. Never come back to see me again! The day you see my face, you will die!"H6547H559H3212H8104H7200H6440H3254H3117H7200H6440H4191 29"Very well," Moses replied. "I will never see your face again."H4872H559H1696H3651H7200H6440H3254