The Eighth Plague: Locusts

1And the Lord said to Moses: “Enter to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart, and that of his servants, so that I may accomplish these, my signs, in him, 2and so that you may describe to the ears of your sons and your grandsons how often I opposed the Egyptians and wrought my signs among them, and so that you may know that I am the Lord.”

3Therefore, Moses and Aaron entered to Pharaoh, and they said to him: “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: How long will you be unwilling to be subject to me? Release my people to sacrifice to me. 4But if you resist, and you are unwilling to release them, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your borders. 5And they shall cover the face of the earth, lest any part of it be seen. Yes, and what remains from the hail shall be eaten. For they will gnaw away all the trees that spring up in the fields. 6And they will fill your houses, and those of your servants and of all the Egyptians: so many as your fathers and ancestors have not seen, from the time that they rose up over the earth, even until this present day.” And he turned himself away, and he departed from Pharaoh. 7Then the servants of Pharaoh said to him: “How long must we endure this scandal? Release the men, in order to sacrifice to the Lord their God. Do you not see that Egypt is perishing?” 8And they called back Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, who said to them: “Go, sacrifice to the Lord your God. Who are they who would go?” 9Moses said: “We will travel with our little ones and our elderly, with our sons and daughters, with our sheep and herds. For it is a solemnity of the Lord our God.” 10And Pharaoh responded: “So let the Lord be with you. But if I were to release you and your little ones, who would doubt that you intend some great wickedness? 11It will not be so. However, go only with the men, and sacrifice to the Lord. For this, too, is what you yourselves requested.” And immediately they were cast out from the sight of Pharaoh.

12Then the Lord said to Moses: “Extend your hand over the land of Egypt, toward the locusts, so that they may rise up over it, and devour every plant which remains from the hail.” 13And Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt. And the Lord brought a burning wind all that day and night. And when morning came, the burning wind lifted up the locusts. 14And they ascended over the entire land of Egypt. And they settled into all the parts of the Egyptians: innumerable, such as had not been before that time, nor ever would be thereafter. 15And they covered the entire face of the land, laying waste to all things. And the plants of the land were devoured, along with whatever fruits were on the trees, which the hail had left behind. And nothing at all of the greenery remained on the trees or on the plants of the earth in all of Egypt. 16For this reason, Pharaoh hurriedly called Moses and Aaron, and he said to them: “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. 17But now, release me from my sin even this time, and petition the Lord your God, so that he may take this death away from me.” 18And Moses, departing from the sight of Pharaoh, prayed to the Lord. 19And he caused a very strong wind to blow from the west, and, seizing the locusts, it cast them into the Red Sea. There remained not so much as one in all the parts of Egypt. 20And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; neither did he release the sons of Israel.

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

21Then the Lord said to Moses: “Extend your hand into the sky. And let there be a darkness over the land of Egypt, so dense that they may be able to feel it.” 22And Moses extended his hand into the sky. And there came a horrible darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. 23No one saw his brother, nor moved himself out of the place where he was. But wherever the sons of Israel were living, there was light. 24And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and he said to them: “Go, sacrifice to the Lord. Only let your sheep and herds remain behind. Your little ones may go with you.” 25Moses said: “You must also permit us victims and holocausts, which we may offer to the Lord our God. 26All the flocks shall travel with us. Not one hoof of them shall remain behind. For they are necessary for the worship of the Lord our God, especially since we do not know what ought to be immolated, until we arrive at the very place.” 27But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he was not willing to release them. 28And Pharaoh said to Moses: “Withdraw from me, and beware that you no longer see my face. On whatever day you will appear in my sight, you shall die.” 29Moses responded: “So be it, just as you have said. I will no longer see your face.”