The Plague on the Firstborn Foretold

1And the Lord said to Moses: “I will touch Pharaoh and Egypt with one more plague, and after these things he will release you, and he will compel you to go out. 2Therefore, you will tell all the people to ask, a man of his friend, and a woman of her neighbor, for vessels of silver and of gold. 3Then the Lord will grant favor to his people in the sight of the Egyptians.” And Moses was a very great man in the land of Egypt, in the sight of the servants of Pharaoh and of all the people.

4And he said: “Thus says the Lord: ‘In the middle of the night I will enter into Egypt. 5And every firstborn in the land of the Egyptians shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the handmaid, who is at the millstone, and all the firstborn of the beasts of burden. 6And there will be a great outcry throughout the entire land of Egypt, such as has not been before, nor ever will be afterward. 7But among all the sons of Israel there shall not be even a mutter from a dog, from man, even to cattle, so that you may know how miraculously the Lord divides the Egyptians from Israel.’ 8And all these, your servants, shall descend to me and shall reverence me, by saying: ‘Depart, you and all the people who are subject to you.’ After these things, we will depart.”

9And he went out from Pharaoh exceedingly angry. Then the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that many signs may be accomplished in the land of Egypt.” 10Now Moses and Aaron did all the wonders that are written, in the sight of Pharaoh. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; neither did he release the sons of Israel from his land.