1And the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his officials, that I might show these, My signs and wonders, among them; 2And that you may tell your children, and your children’s children, what miracles I have performed in Egypt, how I have done them among them; that you may know that I am the LORD.” 3And Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, will I bring a horde of locusts into your country tomorrow; 5They shall cover the land, so that you cannot see the ground. And they shall eat whatever has escaped and remains from the hail; and shall strip every tree growing in the field. 6And they shall fill your houses, the houses of all your officials, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers, nor your fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they settled upon this land.” And Moses turned, and went out from Pharaoh. 7And Pharaoh's officials asked him, “How long shall this man afflict us? Let the people go, so that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is destroyed?” 8And then Moses and Aaron were summoned before Pharaoh, who said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God; but tell me who they are that must go.” 9And Moses said, “We will take our young and our old, our sons and daughters, our flocks and our herds; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.” 10And Pharaoh said to them, “Let the LORD be so with you. If I will let you go with your women and children. But I can see that through your evil intentions. 11No! Have only the men go and serve the LORD; for that is what you have been asking for.” And then Moses and Aaron were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. 12And the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch your hand out over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land - all that the hail has left.” 13And Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt; and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and in the morning, that east wind brought the locusts. 14And the locusts invaded all the land of Egypt, and settled in every area of the country; very numerous and grievous were they. Never had there been so many locusts, nor shall there be again. 15They covered and darkened the ground; and they devoured every herb on the ground, and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left; and there was not a green thing on the trees, or in the field, throughout all the land of Egypt. 16Then Pharaoh urgently summoned Moses and Aaron; and he said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17Now please forgive my sin just this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He take away from me this deadly plague.” 18And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to the LORD. 19And the LORD shifted the wind to a very strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and carried them into the Red Sea; not one locust remained in all the borders of Egypt. 20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the Israelites go. 21And the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch your hand out toward heaven, so darkness may cover the land of Egypt - a darkness so thick that in may be felt.” 22And Moses stretched his hand out toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days: 23They could not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But at the same time, all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24And Pharaoh called Moses, and said, “Go, serve the LORD; just leave your flocks and herds behind; but your children may also go with you.” 25And Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings to present unto the LORD our God. 26Our cattle also must go with us; there shall not be one hoof left behind; for we must take them with us, because we will not know what we will need to serve the LORD, until we get there.” 27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. 28And Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me. Make sure you never see my face again; for in that day that you see my face, you shall die.” 29And Moses said, “Just as you say - I will never see your face again.” Reader-Friendly Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2024 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |