[1] Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, `Thus
says the LORD, "Let my people go, that they may serve me. [2] But if you
refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with frogs;
[3] the Nile shall swarm with frogs which shall come up into your house,
and into your bedchamber and on your bed, and into the houses of your
servants and of your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls;
[4] the frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your
servants."'" [5] And the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, `Stretch out
your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the canals, and over the
pools, and cause frogs to come upon the land of Egypt!'" [6] So Aaron
stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and
covered the land of Egypt. [7] But the magicians did the same by their
secret arts, and brought frogs upon the land of Egypt. [8] Then Pharaoh
called Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat the LORD to take away the frogs
from me and from my people; and I will let the people go to sacrifice to
the LORD." [9] Moses said to Pharaoh, "Be pleased to command me when I am
to entreat, for you and for your servants and for your people, that the
frogs be destroyed from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile."
[10] And he said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "Be it as you say, that you may
know that there is no one like the LORD our God. [11] The frogs shall
depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people; they
shall be left only in the Nile." [12] So Moses and Aaron went out from
Pharaoh; and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs, as he had agreed
with Pharaoh. [13] And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; the
frogs died out of the houses and courtyards and out of the fields. [14] And
they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. [15] But when
Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and would not
listen to them; as the LORD had said. [16] Then the LORD said to Moses,
"Say to Aaron, `Stretch out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, that
it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.'" [17] And they did
so; Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the
earth, and there came gnats on man and beast; all the dust of the earth
became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt. [18] The magicians tried by
their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not. So there were
gnats on man and beast. [19] And the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is
the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not
listen to them; as the LORD had said. [20] Then the LORD said to Moses,
"Rise up early in the morning and wait for Pharaoh, as he goes out to the
water, and say to him, `Thus says the LORD, "Let my people go, that they
may serve me. [21] Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will
send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into
your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of
flies, and also the ground on which they stand. [22] But on that day I will
set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of
flies shall be there; that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of
the earth. [23] Thus I will put a division between my people and your
people. By tomorrow shall this sign be."'" [24] And the LORD did so; there
came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants'
houses, and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by reason of the
flies. [25] Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, "Go, sacrifice
to your God within the land." [26] But Moses said, "It would not be right
to do so; for we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God offerings abominable
to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians
before their eyes, will they not stone us? [27] We must go three days'
journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he will
command us." [28] So Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, to sacrifice to the
LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make
entreaty for me." [29] Then Moses said, "Behold, I am going out from you
and I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from
Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not
Pharaoh deal falsely again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the
LORD." [30] So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. [31] And
the LORD did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh,
from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. [32] But Pharaoh
hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.
