- 1
- Now the LORD had said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague
- on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here,
- and when he does, he will drive you out completely.
- 2
- Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors
- for articles of silver and gold."
- 3
- (The LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people,
- and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt
- by Pharaoh's officials and by the people.)
- 4
- So Moses said, "This is what the LORD says:
- `About midnight I will go throughout Egypt.
- 5
- Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh,
- who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl,
- who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
- 6
- There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt--
- worse than there has ever been or ever will be again.
- 7
- But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal.'
- Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
- 8
- All these officials of yours will come to me,
- bowing down before me and saying,
- `Go, you and all the people who follow you!' After that I will leave."
- Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.
- 9
- The LORD had said to Moses, "Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you--
- so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt."
- 10
- Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh,
- but the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart,
- and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.