[1] Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his
heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine
among them, [2] and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of
your son's son how I have made sport of the Egyptians and what signs I have
done among them; that you may know that I am the LORD." [3] So Moses and
Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of
the Hebrews, `How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my
people go, that they may serve me. [4] For if you refuse to let my people
go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, [5] and they
shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land; and they
shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree
of yours which grows in the field, [6] and they shall fill your houses, and
the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians; as neither your
fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to
this day.'" Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh. [7] And Pharaoh's
servants said to him, "How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the
men go, that they may serve the LORD their God; do you not yet understand
that Egypt is ruined?" [8] So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh;
and he said to them, "Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are to go?" [9]
And Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our
sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast
to the LORD." [10] And he said to them, "The LORD be with you, if ever I
let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind.
[11] No! Go, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for that is what you
desire." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. [12] Then the
LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the
locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every plant in
the land, all that the hail has left." [13] So Moses stretched forth 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 when it was morning the east wind had
brought the locusts. [14] And the locusts came up over all the land of
Egypt, and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of
locusts as had never been before, nor ever shall be again. [15] For they
covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they
ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees which the
hail had left; not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the
field, through all the land of Egypt. [16] Then Pharaoh called Moses and
Aaron in haste, and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God, and
against you. [17] Now therefore, forgive my sin, I pray you, only this
once, and entreat the LORD your God only to remove this death from me."
[18] So he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. [19] And the LORD
turned a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them
into the Red Sea; not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt.
[20] But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children
of Israel go. [21] Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand
toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness
to be felt." [22] So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there
was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; [23] they did not
see one another, nor did any rise from his place for three days; but all
the people of Israel had light where they dwelt. [24] Then Pharaoh called
Moses, and said, "Go, serve the LORD; your children also may go with you;
only let your flocks and your herds remain behind." [25] But Moses said,
"You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may
sacrifice to the LORD our God. [26] Our cattle also must go with us; not a
hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our
God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive
there." [27] But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let
them go. [28] Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me; take heed to
yourself; never see my face again; for in the day you see my face you shall
die." [29] Moses said, "As you say! I will not see your face again."
