Exodus 7-9; Psalms 19 - Prayer Tents

Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Serpent

7Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pay close attention to this. I will make you seem like God to Pharaoh, and your brother, Aaron, will be your prophet.H3068H559H4872H7200H5414H430H6547H175H251H5030 2Tell Aaron everything I command you, and Aaron must command Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave his country.H1696H6680H175H251H1696H6547H7971H1121H3478H776 3But I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.H7185H6547H3820H7235H226H4159H776H4714 4Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces—my people, the Israelites—from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment.H6547H8085H5414H3027H4714H3318H6635H5971H1121H3478H776H4714H1419H8201 5When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD."H4714H3045H3068H5186H3027H4714H3318H1121H3478H8432 6So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them.H4872H175H6213H3068H6680H6213 7Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh.H4872H8084H8141H1121H175H8084H7969H8141H1121H1696H6547 8Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,H3068H559H4872H175H559 9"Pharaoh will demand, 'Show me a miracle.' When he does this, say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent

.'"H6547H1696H559H5414H4159H559H175H3947H4294H7993H6440H6547H8577 10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the LORD had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent!H4872H175H935H6547H6213H3068H6680H175H7993H4294H6440H6547H6440H5650H8577 11Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic.H6547H7121H2450H3784H2748H4714H6213H3651H3858 12They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.H7993H376H4294H8577H175H4294H1104H4294 13Pharaoh's heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the LORD had predicted.H2388H6547H3820H8085H3068H1696

A Plague of Blood

14Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn

, and he still refuses to let the people go.H3068H559H4872H6547H3820H3515H3985H5971H7971 15So go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes down to the river. Stand on the bank of the Nile and meet him there. Be sure to take along the staff that turned into a snake.H3212H6547H1242H3318H4325H5324H2975H8193H7125H4294H2015H5175H3947H3027 16Then announce to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you, "Let my people go, so they can worship me in the wilderness." Until now, you have refused to listen to him.H559H3068H430H5680H7971H559H5971H7971H5647H4057H3541H8085 17So this is what the LORD says: "I will show you that I am the LORD." Look! I will strike the water of the Nile with this staff in my hand, and the river will turn to blood.H559H3068H3045H3068H5221H4294H3027H4325H2975H2015H1818 18The fish in it will die, and the river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink any water from the Nile.'"H1710H2975H4191H2975H887H4714H3811H8354H4325H2975 19Then the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and raise your hand over the waters of Egypt—all its rivers, canals, ponds, and all the reservoirs. Turn all the water to blood. Everywhere in Egypt the water will turn to blood, even the water stored in wooden bowls and stone pots.'"H3068H559H4872H559H175H3947H4294H5186H3027H4325H4714H5104H2975H98H4723H4325H1818H1818H776H4714H6086H68 20So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded them. As Pharaoh and all of his officials watched, Aaron raised his staff and struck the water of the Nile. Suddenly, the whole river turned to blood!H4872H175H6213H3068H6680H7311H4294H5221H4325H2975H5869H6547H5869H5650H4325H2975H2015H1818 21The fish in the river died, and the water became so foul that the Egyptians couldn't drink it. There was blood everywhere throughout the land of Egypt.H1710H2975H4191H2975H887H4714H3201H8354H4325H2975H1818H776H4714 22But again the magicians of Egypt used their magic, and they, too, turned water into blood. So Pharaoh's heart remained hard. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted.H2748H4714H6213H3909H6547H3820H2388H8085H3068H1696 23Pharaoh returned to his palace and put the whole thing out of his mind.H6547H6437H935H1004H7896H3820H2063 24Then all the Egyptians dug along the riverbank to find drinking water, for they couldn't drink the water from the Nile.H4714H2658H5439H2975H4325H8354H3201H8354H4325H2975 25Seven days passed from the time the LORD struck the Nile.H7651H3117H4390H310H3068H5221H2975

A Plague of Frogs

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

Then 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

19[For the choir director: A psalm of David.] The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.H5329H4210H1732H8064H5608H3519H410H7549H5046H4639H3027

2Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.H3117H3117H5042H562H3915H3915H2331H1847

3They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard

.H562H1697H6963H8085

4Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.H6957H3318H776H4405H7097H8398H7760H168H8121

5It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.H2860H3318H2646H7797H1368H7323H734

6The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.H4161H7097H8064H8622H7098H5641H2535

7The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.H8451H3068H8549H7725H5315H5715H3068H539H2449H6612

8The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.H6490H3068H3477H8055H3820H4687H3068H1249H215H5869

9Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair.H3374H3068H2889H5975H5703H4941H3068H571H6663H3162

10They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.H2530H2091H7227H6337H4966H1706H5317H6688

11They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.H5650H2094H8104H7227H6118

12How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.H995H7691H5352H5641

13Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.H2820H5650H2086H4910H8552H5352H7227H6588

14May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.H561H6310H1902H3820H7522H6440H3068H6697H1350