< Exodus 8 >

1 Then said Yahweh unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, —then shalt thou say unto him—Thus, saith Yahweh, —Let my people go, that they may serve me.
The LORD spoke to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2 But if thou art, refusing, to let them go, lo! I, am plaguing all thy boundaries with frogs;
If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs.
3 so shall the river swarm with frogs, and they shall come up, and enter into thy house, and into thy bedchamber and upon thy couch, —and into the house of thy servants and among thy people, and into thine ovens and into thy kneading-troughs:
The river will swarm with frogs, which will go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs.
4 both against thee, and against thy people, and against all thy servants, shall come up the frogs.
The frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.”’”
5 Then said Yahweh unto Moses, Say unto Aaron—Stretch forth thy hand with thy staff, over the streams over the rivers and over the pools, —and bring up the frogs, over the land of Egypt.
The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’”
6 So Aaron stretched forth his hand, over the waters of Egypt, —and the frog came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
7 And the sacred scribes did in like manner, with their secret arts, —and brought up frogs over the land of Egypt.
The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.
8 Then called Pharaoh for Moses and for Aaron and said—Make entreaty unto Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people, —and I must let the people go that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
9 And Moses said to Pharaoh—Explain thyself unto me: For what time, shall I make entreaty for thee and for thy servants and for thy people, to cause the frogs to be cut off, from thee and from thy houses, —only in the river, shall they remain?
Moses said to Pharaoh, “I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only.”
10 And he said—For to-morrow. And he said—According to thy word! that thou mayest know that there is none like Yahweh, our God:
Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.
11 so the frogs shall depart—from thee and from thy houses and from thy servants and from thy people, —only in the river, shall they remain.
The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”
12 Then went forth Moses and Aaron from Pharaoh, —and Moses made outcry unto Yahweh, over the matter of the frogs which he had appointed for Pharaoh.
Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh.
13 And Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, —and the frogs died, out of the houses and out of the yards, and out of the fields;
The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.
14 and they piled them up, heaps—heaps, —and the land became loathsome.
They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there had come a respite, then made he his heart dull and hearkened not unto them, —as spake Yahweh.
But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.
16 Then said Yahweh unto Moses, Say unto Aaron—Stretch forth thy staff, and smite the dust of the land, —so shall it become gnats in all the land of Egypt.
The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’”
17 And they did so, and Aaron stretched forth his hand with his staff and smote the dust of the land, and there canto to be gnats, among men and among beasts, —all the dust of the land, became gnats, in all the land of Egypt.
They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18 And the sacred scribes did in like manner with their secret arts, to bring forth the gnats, but they could not. So there came to be gnats, among men and among beasts.
The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they could not. There were lice on man, and on animal.
19 Then said the sacred scribes unto Pharaoh, The finger of God, it is! But the heart of Pharaoh waxed bold and he hearkened not unto them, as spake Yahweh.
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is God’s finger;” but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.
20 Then said Yahweh unto Moses—Rise thou early in the morning, and station thyself before Pharaoh, lo! he is coming forth to the waters, —then shalt thou say unto him—Thus, saith Yahweh: Let my people go, that they may serve me.
The LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes out to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
21 But if thou art not letting my people go, behold me! sending forth—against thee, and against thy servants, and against thy people, and against thy houses the gad-fly, —and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of the gad-fly, moreover also the ground whereon, they are:
Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on.
22 then will I make to differ on that day, the land of Goshen wherein my people do dwell, so that there shall not be there a gad-fly! in order that thou mayest know, that I, Yahweh, am in the midst of the land;
I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end you may know that I am the LORD on the earth.
23 so will I put a separation betwixt my people and thy people. By to-morrow, shall come to pass this sign.
I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.”’”
24 And Yahweh did so, and brought a grievous gad-fly unto the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants and in all the land of Egypt, and the land was laid waste by reason of the gad-fly.
The LORD did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.
25 Then did Pharaoh cry out—unto Moses and to Aaron, —and said-Go your way, sacrifice to your God, in the land.
Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!”
26 And Moses said: Not meet, is it, to do thus, for, an abomination to the Egyptians, we should sacrifice to Yahweh our God. Lo! could we sacrifice that which is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes and they not stone us?
Moses said, “It is not appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, will not they stone us?
27 A journey of three days, must we go, in the desert, —then will we sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as, Yahweh, hath said unto us.
We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.”
28 Then said Pharaoh: I, will let you go—so shall ye sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the desert, only ye shall not go a, very long, journey, —make ye entreaty for me.
Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”
29 And Moses said: Lo! I, am going out from thee and will make entreaty unto Yahweh, so will he take away the gad-fly—from Pharaoh from his servants, and from his people tomorrow, —only let not Pharaoh again deceive, in not letting the people go, to sacrifice to Yahweh.
Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you. I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”
30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh, —and made entreaty unto Yahweh.
Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to the LORD.
31 And Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and took away the gad-fly, from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people, —there remained not, one.
The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one.
32 And Pharaoh made his heart dull, this time also, —and did not let the people go.
Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.

< Exodus 8 >