[1] Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart,
and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst
of them, [2] and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your
son`s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done
among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh." [3] Moses and Aaron went
in to Pharaoh, and said to him, "This is what Yahweh, the God of the
Hebrews, says: `How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let
my people go, that they may serve me. [4] Or else, if you refuse to let my
people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, [5] and
they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won`t be able to see
the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which
remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you
out of the field. [6] Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all
your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers
nor your fathers` fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the
earth to this day.`" He turned, and went out from Pharaoh. [7] Pharaoh`s
servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men
go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don`t you yet know that Egypt is
destroyed? [8] Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said
to them, "Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?" [9]
Moses said, "We will go with our young and with our old; with our sons and
with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we
must hold a feast to Yahweh." [10] He said to them, "Yahweh be with you if
I will let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your
faces. [11] Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is
what you desire!" They were driven out from Pharaoh`s presence. [12] Yahweh
said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the
locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of
the land, even all that the hail has left." [13] Moses stretched forth his
rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all
that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought
the locusts. [14] The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and
rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them
there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. [15]
For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was
darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the
trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or
herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt. [16] Then Pharaoh called
for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, "I have sinned against Yahweh
your God, and against you. [17] Now therefore please forgive my sin again,
and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this
death." [18] He went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. [19] Yahweh
turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove
them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the borders of
Egypt. [20] But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh`s heart, and he didn`t let the
children of Israel go. [21] Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand
toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even
darkness which may be felt." [22] Moses stretched forth his hand toward the
sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
[23] They didn`t see one another, neither did anyone rise from his place
for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their
dwellings. [24] Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, "Go, serve Yahweh. Only
let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go
with you." [25] Moses said, "You must also give into our hand sacrifices
and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God. [26] Our
cattle also shall go with us. There shall not a hoof be left behind, for of
it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don`t know with what we
must serve Yahweh, until we come there." [27] But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh`s
heart, and he wouldn`t let them go. [28] Pharaoh said to him, "Get away
from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face
you shall die!" [29] Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will see your
face again no more."
