Israel In Egypt

Israel In Egypt
1. The Names Of Jacob's Family In Egypt
2. Children Of Israel Fall From Favor
3. Moses Is Born
4. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds Moses
5. Moses Grows Up
6. Moses Finds Refuge With The Priest Of Midian
7. Israel Weighed Down Under Bondage
8. The Lord Calls Moses
9. Moses Protests
10. Moses Raises Further Objections
11. Moses Departs For Egypt
12. Aaron Comes To Meet Moses
13. Moses And Aaron Go To Pharaoh
14. The Egyptian Taskmasters Make It Harder On Israel
15. The People Of Israel Blame Moses
16. The Lord Told Moses That He Would Be With Israel
17. The Lord Sends Moses To Pharaoh
18. Moses Is Told To Show Pharaoh The Signs
19. The Plague On The Nile
20. The Plague Of Frogs
21. The Plague Of Lice
22. The Plague Of Insect Swarms
23. The Plague On The Egyptian Livestock
24. Plague Of Boils
25. The Plague Of Hail
26. The Plague Of Locust
27. The Plague Of Darkness
28. The Plague Of Death To The Firstborn
29. Preparation For The First Passover
30. The Lord Takes The Lives Of Egypt's Firstborn

1. The Names Of Jacob's Family In Egypt - Back to Page Index
Exodus 1:1-7
These are the names of the children of Israel, which came down to Egypt with Jacob. Each son brought his household. Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin. Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. There were seventy persons who came from the loins of Jacob. Joseph was already in Egypt. Joseph died, as did everyone from that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly and the land was filled with them.

2. Children Of Israel Fall From Favor - Back to Page Index
Exodus 1:8-22
A new king came to power in Egypt who did not know Joseph. He said to his own people, "Behold, the people of Israel are becoming mightier than we are. Let us deal wisely with them, lest they continue to multiply and during a war join with our enemies and leave the land." So they appointed task masters over them to afflict them with hard labor. They used them to build Pharaoh's storage cities of Pithom and Rameses. The more Egypt oppressed the children of Israel, the more they multiplied and filled the land. So the Egyptians began to dread the children of Israel.

The Egyptians made life rigorous for the children of Israel, making their lives bitter with hard labor. They worked with bricks and mortar, doing all kinds of field labor.

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives named Shiphrah and Puah. He said, "When you are helping the Hebrew women deliver their babies, if they are sons, kill them, but the daughters you shall save." But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them. They saved both the boys and girls. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and asked them, "Why are you letting the boys live?" The midwives said to Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are more vigorous than the Egyptian women and they give birth before we get to them." For this reason God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and become mighty. Because the midwives feared God, He established their households. Then Pharaoh commanded all of the children of Israel that when they had a boy, they were to cast him into the river, and every daughter they should let live.

3. Moses Is Born - Back to Page Index
Exodus 2:1-5
A man from the house of Levi married a daughter of Levi. The woman conceived and bore a son. Being unwilling to see him die, she hid him for three months. When she could no longer hide him she made an ark of bulrushes and daubed it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket at the edge of the river among the reeds. His sister stood at a distance to see what might happen to him. Pharaoh's daughter came to the Nile with her maidens to bath. Seeing the basket among the reeds, she sent a maid to fetch it.

4. Pharaoh's Daughter Finds Moses - Back to Page Index
Exodus 2:6-10
When she opened the basket and saw the that the crying child was a boy, and taking pity on him, she said, "This is a Hebrew child." Then the baby's sister came to Pharaoh's daughter and said, "Shall I call someone from among the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?" Pharaoh's daughter said, "Yes, go." So the girl ran and called the child's mother. Then Pharaoh's daughter told the woman to take the child and nurse him for her and she would give her wages for doing this. So the woman took the child and nursed him.

The child grew and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses because, she said, "I have drawn him out of the water."

5. Moses Grows Up - Back to Page Index
Exodus 2:11-15
It came to pass that when Moses grew up, he went out among his brethren and saw their distress. He saw one of the Egyptians beating a Hebrew. Looking both ways and thinking no one would see him, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. The next day he witnessed two Hebrews fighting. He said to the one in the wrong, "Why are you striking your brother?" But the man answered him saying, "Who made you a prince to be a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you did the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "Surely this matter will not be kept secret."

When Pharaoh heard of it, he wanted to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and ended up in the land of Midian where he sat by a well.

6. Moses Finds Refuge With The Priest Of Midian - Back to Page Index
Exodus 2:16-22
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. These came to fill the water troughs for their father's flock. Some other shepherds came and drove them away. Moses came to their aid and helped them water their flock. When they had come to Reuel their father, he asked them why they were home so soon? They explained, "An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he even drew water for our flocks." He asked his daughters, "Where is he? Why have you left him behind? Invite him to have something to eat."

Moses was willing to dwell with the man. And he gave Zipporah, his daughter, to Moses. She gave birth to a son and Moses called him Gershom, for he said, "I have been a stranger in a strange land."

7. Israel Weighed Down Under Bondage - Back to Page Index
Exodus 2:23-25
In The course of time the king of Egypt died. The children of Israel sighed under their bondage and cried to the LORD. God heard their groaning and remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As God looked upon the children of Israel He was concerned for them.

8. The Lord Calls Moses - Back to Page Index
Exodus 3:1-10
At this time Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, who was the priest of Midian. He led the flock far back in the desert, and came to the mountain of God called Horeb. The Angel of the LORD appeared to him out of the midst of a burning bush. He watched the bush and noticed that it did not burn up. So Moses said to himself, "I must get a closer look to see why the bush is not burning up." The LORD saw that he was coming closer and called to him out of the midst of the bush, saying, "Moses, Moses!" And he answered, "Here I am." Then God said, "Do not come near here. Remove your shoes, for you are standing on holy ground." He continued, saying, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. The LORD said, "I have seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their severe taskmasters and I know of their sufferings. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and bring them to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite, the Amorite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. I have heard the cry of the children of Israel and I have seen the oppression they have experienced at the hand of the Egyptians. Therefore, I am sending you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

9. Moses Protests - Back to Page Index
Exodus 3:11-22
But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" God said, "I will be with you. This shall be the sign to you that I am sending you. When you have brought the children of Israel out of Egypt you shall worship God on this mountain."

Then Moses said to God, "When I come to the children of Israel, and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask what Your name is, what shall I tell them?'" God said to Moses, "I Am Who I Am. This is what you are to tell them when they ask who sent you."

God continued by saying, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is a memorial to all generations.' Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, 'The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, appeared to me, saying, I have surely visited you and seen what Egypt has done to you. So I said, 'I will bring you out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites, the Amorites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing in milk and honey.'"

"They will listen to you. Then you and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt, and say to him, 'The LORD God of the Hebrews met with us. Let us go, now, three days journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.' I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go except he is compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand smite Egypt with all My miracles which I will do in their midst, and after that, he will let you go."

"I will grant My people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it shall come to pass that they will not only let you go, but will also make sure that you do not leave empty handed. Every woman shall ask her neighbor woman for jewels of gold and silver and for clothing. You shall put these on your sons and daughters and in this way you shall spoil the Egyptians."

10. Moses Raises Further Objections - Back to Page Index
Exodus 4:1-17
Then Moses asked, "What if they will not believe me, or listen to what I say? They will surely not believe that the LORD has appeared to me." Then the LORD said to him, "What do you have in your hand?" He said, "A staff." And the LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." So Moses threw it on the ground. It became a snake and he ran from it. God said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand pick it up by its tail." So Moses picked it up by its tail and it was once more a staff in his hand. "This," said the LORD, "Will help them believe that the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to you."

Next the LORD said, "Put your hand into your bosom." So he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, it was covered with leprosy, white as snow. Then God said, "Put your hand in your bosom again." So Moses put his hand in his bosom and when he took it out, his hand was restored like the rest of his body. God said, "If they do not believe you after seeing the first sign, they may believe you as they witness the last sign. But if they still do not believe, after seeing these first two signs, and are unwilling to listen to what you say, then you shall take some water from the river and pour it out on dry ground, and the water will turn to blood on the dry land."

Then Moses said to the LORD, "I cannot speak well." The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes a man mute, deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not the LORD? Now go and I will be with you, teaching you what to say." But Moses said, "Please Lord, send your message by someone else."

Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses. He said, "Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he speaks well. He is coming to meet you, and he will be happy to see you. I will teach you what to tell him to say. He will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouth and you will be My mouthpiece. And you shall take your staff that you may perform the signs."

11. Moses Departs For Egypt - Back to Page Index
Exodus 4:18-26
So Moses returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, "Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren in Egypt and see if they are still alive." And Jethro said, "Go in peace."

Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all who sought your life are dead." So Moses took his wife and his sons, setting them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. And he took the rod of God in his hand.

The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, be sure to show Pharaoh the rod I have placed in your hand. Nevertheless, I will harden his heart and he will not let My people go." Then you shall say to him, "Thus says the LORD, Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I am asking you to let my son go, that he may serve Me. If you refuse to let him go, then I will slay your firstborn son."

And it came to pass that at a place of lodging on the way to Egypt, the LORD met Moses and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and threw it at the feet of Moses, saying, "You are surely a bridegroom of blood to me." So God let Moses live. It was because of the circumcision she said to Moses, "You are a bridegroom of blood."

12. Aaron Comes To Meet Moses - Back to Page Index
Exodus 4:27-31
Now the LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." And he went and met him in the mount of God and kissed him. Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and of the signs the LORD had commanded him to do. Then Moses and Aaron assembled all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke the words that God gave to Moses. And Moses did the signs God had given him. So the people believed. And when they heard that God was visiting the children of Israel, and had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshipped.

13. Moses And Aaron Go To Pharaoh - Back to Page Index
Exodus 5:1-9
After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, let My people go that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness." But Pharaoh said to them, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey Him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go." Then Moses and Aaron said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days journey into the desert so that we can sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He bring a pestilence or the sword upon us." But the king of Egypt replied, "Why are you trying to take the people from their work? Get back to your labor! Your people are many and you want them to rest from their labors." So Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people, saying, "You are to no longer give the people straw for the bricks they are making. They shall gather their own straw. Nevertheless, their quota of brick produced will be no less. They have asked to sacrifice to their God because they have time on their hands. Let them pay more attention to their work and no attention to vain words."

14. The Egyptian Taskmasters Make It Harder On Israel - Back to Page Index
Exodus 5:10-19
So the taskmasters told the people that Pharaoh had said he would no longer give them straw. "You must go and find your own straw wherever you can and you will be expected to produce just as many bricks." So the people scattered everywhere in the land of Egypt gathering stubble for straw. And the taskmasters told them that they must produce as many brick as when the straw had been provided. Then the Hebrew foreman that Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over the people were beaten and asked, "Why haven't you produced the required number of bricks?" The foreman of the children of Israel came to Pharaoh complaining of the unfair treatment. "We have no straw, yet you say make just as many bricks. Then we are beaten when we cannot do this. This is unfair treatment." But Pharaoh answered them, "You are very lazy, asking to go and sacrifice to the LORD. Get back to work. You will be given no straw and you must deliver your same quota of bricks." Seeing that they were in trouble with Pharaoh, the foremen of the children of Israel,

15. The People Of Israel Blame Moses - Back to Page Index
Exodus 5:20-23
left Pharaoh and went to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them. They said to them, "May the LORD judge you for making our lives odious in Pharaoh's sight. What he has decreed is going to kill us." Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Lord, why have your brought harm on Your people? And why did You send me? Ever since I began speaking to Pharaoh he has done harm to Your people, and You have not delivered them."

16. The Lord Told Moses That He Would Be With Israel - Back to Page Index
Exodus 6:1-9
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. Under compulsion he will let them go and even drive them out of the land." God continued by saying, "I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty. But I did not make Myself known to them by My name. I established My covenant with them, promising to give them the land of Canaan where they sojourned. And I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel caused by the Egyptians who hold them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Tell the children of Israel, 'I Am The LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens the Egyptians have placed on them. I will deliver you from your bondage and redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgments.' Then I will take you as My people and I will be your God. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God Who brought you out of Egypt. I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It will be your possession. I Am The LORD."

So Moses told all of this to the children of Israel, but they remained despondent because of their cruel bondage and they would not listen.

17. The Lord Sends Moses To Pharaoh - Back to Page Index
Exodus 6:10-13
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Go to Pharaoh king of Egypt and tell him to let the children of Israel leave his land." Moses said to the LORD, "See how the children of Israel have not listened to me. How then will Pharaoh listen to my unskilled lips?" The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and commanded them to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt and to tell Pharaoh let them go.

18. Moses Is Told To Show Pharaoh The Signs - Back to Page Index
Exodus 7:1-13
And the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother is your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron will speak to Pharaoh so that he will send the children of Israel out of his land. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that I may multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh will not listen and I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring My people out of Egypt using great judgments against it. They shall know that I am the LORD and that I am calling the children of Israel out from their midst."

So Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh. The LORD gave further directions to Moses and Aaron, saying, "When Pharaoh speaks to you asking for a miracle, then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh that it may become a serpent.'" So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded, and Pharaoh witnessed Aaron's rod becoming a serpent. Then Pharaoh called his wise men, sorcerers and magicians, who did their secret arts. Each of them threw down his staff and each became a serpent. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.

19. The Plague On The Nile - Back to Page Index
Exodus 7:14-25
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, and he will not let the people go. In the morning meet him as he is going out to the water. Stand by the river until he comes. Take the rod in your hand which became a snake. Say to Pharaoh, The LORD God of the Hebrews sent me to you. He has said, 'Let My people go that they may serve Me in the wilderness.' But you have not listened to Me. Thus says the LORD, 'By this you shall know that I am the LORD. I will strike the water in the Nile with the staff in my hand it will turn to blood.' The fish in it will die and the river will become foul, and the Egyptians will have difficulty finding water to drink." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to stretch his staff over the waters of the Nile that all the waters of Egypt, its streams, pools and reservoirs will become blood, and there will be blood even in the vessels of wood and stone." So Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded, and Pharaoh and his servants watched as the Nile turned to blood. The fish in it died and the Nile became foul. The Egyptians could not drink its water. And the blood was throughout the land. But the magicians and sorcerers did the same with their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said. He returned to his house with no concern even after this. So all the Egyptians had to dig around the Nile for water to drink. Seven days passed after the LORD struck the Nile.

20. The Plague Of Frogs - Back to Page Index
Exodus 8:1-15
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'The LORD says, let My people go, that they may serve Me.' And if you refuse, I will smite your whole land with frogs. The Nile will swarm with them. They will come into your house, into your bedroom and up on your bed. They will come into your servant's houses and on all your people, into your ovens and even in your kneading bowls. Frogs will come upon you, your people and all your servants."

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to stretch out his staff over the rivers, the streams and the pools, and make frogs come upon the land of Egypt." So Aaron did this and frogs covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did the same with their secret arts.

Finally Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Entreat the LORD that He may remove the frogs from me and my people, and I will let Israel go to sacrifice to the LORD." Moses replied, "You will have the honor of specifying when I shall ask the LORD to remove the frogs from the land to go back to the Nile?" Pharaoh said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "It will be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. The frogs will depart from you and your houses, your servants and your people, and they will stay in the Nile." Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning His plague of frogs against Pharaoh. The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died in the houses, the villages and the fields. They piled them up in heaps and the land was foul with the smell of them. But after the frogs were taken from them, Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

21. The Plague Of Lice - Back to Page Index
Exodus 8:16-19
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice through all the land of Egypt.'" So Aaron stretched out his staff and struck the dust and it became as lice on man and beast throughout Egypt. The magicians tried to bring forth lice with their secret arts, but could not. They said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." yet Pharaoh's heart remained hard just as the LORD had said it would.

22. The Plague Of Insect Swarms - Back to Page Index
Exodus 8:20-32
Now the LORD said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Say to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Let My people go that they may serve Me. '. "For if you do not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies upon you, your servants and your people. Your house and the houses of all Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies. And they will cover the ground also. But I will set apart the land of Goshen where My people dwell. There will be no swarms of flies there so that you may know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land. I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur."

And the LORD did so. The flies were everywhere so that the land of Egypt was laid waste from the flies. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Go and sacrifice to your God, but stay within Egypt." But Moses replied, "This would not be right, for what we sacrifice to the LORD our God is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we do this in their sight, surely they will stone us. We must go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He has commanded us." Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness. Only you cannot go very far. And make supplication for me, as well." Then Moses said, "Behold, I am going out from you and I will make supplication to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, his servants and his people tomorrow. Only do not act deceitfully again by not letting the Hebrews go to sacrifice to the LORD." So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. The LORD did as Moses asked, and removed every fly from Pharaoh and all the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh hardened his heart once more, and would not let the people go.

23. The Plague On The Egyptian Livestock - Back to Page Index
Exodus 9:1-7
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him that the LORD God of the Hebrews says, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me.' And if you refuse to let them go. The hand of the LORD will come with a severe pestilence on your livestock in the fields, on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds and flocks. But the LORD will not send the pestilence on the livestock of Israel. Nothing of theirs will die." The LORD set a definite time, saying, "Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing." So the next day the LORD sent the pestilence on all the livestock of Egypt and many of them died. But not one of the livestock of Israel was bothered. Pharaoh sent his servants to verify that not one of Israel's livestock had died. Yet his heart remained hardened and he would not let the people go.

24. Plague Of Boils - Back to Page Index
Exodus 9:8-12
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a kiln and let Moses throw it toward the sky while Pharaoh watches. A fine dust will settle over all the land of Egypt, causing boils to break out on man and beast throughout all Egypt." So they took soot from a kiln, and stood before Pharaoh as Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became boils on man and beast. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils they had as well as the boils on all of the Egyptians. And the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the people go, just as the LORD had said.

25. The Plague Of Hail - Back to Page Index
Exodus 9:13-35
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Say to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'Let My people go that they may serve Me. '. "For I am about to send all My plagues on you, on your servants and your people, so that you will know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. I will stretch out My hand strike you and your people and I will cut you off from the earth. I have allowed you to remain until now in order to demonstrate My power and proclaim My name throughout all the earth. In the face of all the evidence I have given, you still will not let My people go. Behold, about this time tomorrow I will send a great hail, such as never has been seen in Egypt. You must bring your livestock in from the field to safety. The hail will kill every man and beast found in the field." Those of Pharaoh's servants who feared the LORD brought his servants and livestock into shelter. But those who did not regard the word of the LORD left their servants and livestock in the field. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on man and beast, and on every plant in the field." Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran along the ground. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. There was hail mingled with fire, such as Egypt had never seen since it was a nation. Anything in the fields, man, beast, plant and tree, were all shattered by the hail. But no hail fell in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were. Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said to them, "The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Make supplication to the LORD, so that there be no more thunder and hail, and I will let you go." Moses said, "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will lift my hands to the LORD, and the thunder and hail will stop. Then you may know that the earth is the LORD's. But I know that you and your servants do not yet fear the LORD."

The flax and barley were ruined because the barley was in ear and the flax had budded. But the wheat and the spelt had not been ruined because they ripen later.

Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city and raised his hands to the LORD. The thunder and the hail ceased and rain no longer poured upon the earth. But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail and the thunder had ceased, he and his servants sinned again by hardening their hearts. And Pharaoh did not let the children of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

26. The Plague Of Locust - Back to Page Index
Exodus 10:1-20
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and his servants that I may perform My signs among them, for I have hardened their hearts. I want you to be able to tell your son and your grandson of the signs I did in Egypt, so that you may know that I am the LORD." So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself and let My people go so that they may serve Me?.' If you refuse to let My people go, I will bring locust into your land tomorrow. They shall cover the land so that you cannot see the ground. They will eat up what the hail did not destroy, including even the trees in the field. Then they will fill your house and the houses of all Egyptians. Neither your fathers nor grandfathers have ever seen such a plague of locust." And Moses turned and went out from Pharaoh.

Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man cause us so much trouble? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD, before all Egypt has been destroyed." So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh and he said to them, "Go and serve your God! But who will go?" Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD." Then Pharaoh said, "Certainly the LORD would be with you if I would let you go. You are up to no good. You may go if you take only the men to serve your Lord. That is all that is needed." And they drove Moses and Aaron from Pharaoh's presence.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch your hand over the land of Egypt that the locust may come on the land eat every plant that the hail has not destroyed." So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt and the LORD brought up an east wind that blew all day and all night. And the morning win brought the locust. They covered the land of Egypt settling everywhere. There were more locust than anyone had ever seen or would ever see again. They darkened the surface of the land, eating every green plant and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had not destroyed. Nothing green was left on tree or plant in the fields in all of Egypt. Pharaoh hurriedly called Moses and Aaron, and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. Please forgive me just this once and make supplication to the LORD your God, that He will remove this death from the land." So Moses went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. Then the LORD shifted the wind to come from the west. It was a mighty wind and it took the locust away casting them into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left in all of Egypt. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he did not let the children of Israel go.

27. The Plague Of Darkness - Back to Page Index
Exodus 10:21-29
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out you hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt. It will be a darkness that can be felt." So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven and thick darkness came over the land of Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else and no one moved from where he was for three days. But the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Go serve the LORD, only leave your flocks and herds. Even your little ones may go with you." But Moses said, "You must let us have our animals for the sacrifices and burnt offerings which we will make to our Lord. Not one animal may be left behind. We will not know what we will need to serve our Lord until we get there." But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he was not willing to let them go. Then Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my sight for the next time you see my face you will die." Moses said, "Just as you have said. I will not see your face again."

28. The Plague Of Death To The Firstborn - Back to Page Index
Exodus 11:1-10
And the LORD said to Moses, "I will bring only one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that he will let you go. In fact, he will drive you out of Egypt. Speak in the hearing of the people and tell them to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold." And the LORD gave the children of Israel favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moses was considered to be very great by everyone in the land of Egypt.

Moses said, "The LORD has said, 'At about midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt.' And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the slave girl who grinds at the millstone. And all the firstborn of the cattle will die as well. There shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as never was before and never shall be again. But not even a dog of any of the children of Israel will bark against man or beast, so that you may know that the LORD makes a difference between Egypt and the children of Israel." And to Pharaoh he sent this message."All of your servants will come to me and bow themselves before me, saying, 'Go out, you and all the people who follow you.' And after that, I will go out of Egypt." And he went from Pharaoh in a great anger.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you. This is so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." Moses and Aaron had performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, yet the LORD hardened his heart and he did not let the children of Israel go out of Egypt.

29. Preparation For The First Passover - Back to Page Index
Exodus 12:1-28
The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, "This month shall be the first month of each year for you. Explain to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month each one is to take a lamb for his household.' If the household is too small, then he and his nearest neighbor with his household may do this together. Your lamb must be an unblemished male that is a year old. You may take it from the sheep or the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to each kill their lamb in the evening. They are to take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of door of the house in which they will eat it. They shall eat the flesh that same night after roasting it over the fire. And they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The lamb must not be eaten raw or boiled, but roasted with fire, both its head, its legs and its entrails. And you shall let nothing remain until the morning. Anything left over must be burned. As you eat it have your loins girded, your sandals on the feet and your staff in your hand. You shall eat it in haste, for it is the LORD's Passover. For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night and strike down all the firstborn in the land, both man and beast. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the LORD. The blood shall be to you a sign upon the houses where you live. When I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not destroy any within your houses as I smite the land of Egypt." This day shall be a memorial to you, and you will celebrate it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. It is to be a permanent ordinance. "You must remove all leaven from your houses and eat only unleavened bread for seven days. Whoever eats anything with leaven during this seven day period is to be cut off from Israel."

"On the first and seventh days there shall be a holy convocation. No work is to be done except preparation for what every man must eat. You shall observe this Feast of Unleavened Bread, for it was on this same day that I brought you out of Egypt. All your generations shall observe this ordinance forever. At evening on the fourteenth day of the first month you shall eat unleavened bread until the evening of the twenty-first day of the month. For seven days there is to be no leaven found in your houses. Anyone who eats leaven shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether an alien or native of the land. Everyone is to eat only unleavened bread."

Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Each of you is to take a lamb for himself according to his family and slay this Passover lamb. Catch the blood in a basin and dip a bunch of hyssop in the blood and apply it to the lintel and doorposts of your houses. No one is to go outside the door of his house until morning. For the LORD will pass through the land to smite the Egyptians and He shall Passover the houses where He sees the blood on the lintel and doorposts. He will not allow the destroyer to come into your house to smite you. You and your sons shall observe this ordinance forever. And when you enter the land which the LORD has promised to give to you, you shall continue to keep this ordinance. Your children will ask, 'What is the meaning of this service?' And you shall say to them, 'It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, who passed over the houses of Israel when He smote the entire land of Egypt, but spared our houses.'" And the people bowed their heads and worshipped. And the children of Israel did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.

30. The Lord Takes The Lives Of Egypt's Firstborn - Back to Page Index
Exodus 12:29-36
It was at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from Pharaoh's firstborn, to the captive in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the cattle. And Pharaoh rose up that night, as did his servants and all Egyptians. A great cry could be heard throughout Egypt, for every house had someone dead.

Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron during the night and said to them, "Rise up and get out from among my people. Take your children and your cattle and serve the LORD, as you have said. Take your flocks and herds, and go, and bless me also."

The Egyptians urged the Hebrews to leave quickly, lest all the Egyptians die. So the Hebrews took their dough before it was leavened, and their kneading bowls, bound up in the clothes on their shoulders.

The children of Israel had done what Moses had told them to do. They had asked the Egyptians for articles of gold and silver and for clothing. And the LORD had caused the Egyptians to willingly give them these things. In this way they plundered Egypt.

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