Egyptian Cattle Die

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “(A)Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For (B)if you refuse to let them go and [a]continue to hold them, behold, (C)the hand of the Lord [b]will come with a very severe pestilence on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks. (D)But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that (E)nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.”’” The Lord set a definite time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” So the Lord did this thing on the next day, and (F)all the livestock of Egypt died; (G)but of the livestock of the sons of Israel, not one died. Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead. But (H)the heart of Pharaoh was [c]hardened, and he did not let the people go.

The Plague of Boils

Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of soot from a kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and will become (I)boils breaking out with sores on man and beast through all the land of Egypt.” 10 So they took soot from a kiln, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became boils breaking out with sores on man and beast. 11 (J)The [d]magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians [e]as well as on all the Egyptians. 12 And (K)the Lord [f]hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “(L)Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “(M)Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 14 For this time I will send all My plagues [g]on you and your servants and your people, so that (N)you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. 15 For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth. 16 But, indeed, (O)for this reason I have allowed you to [h]remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth. 17 Still you exalt yourself against My people [i]by not letting them go.

The Plague of Hail

18 Behold, about this time tomorrow, (P)I will [j]send a very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded [k]until now. 19 Now therefore send, bring (Q)your livestock and whatever you have in the field to safety. (R)Every man and beast that is found in the field and is not brought home, when the hail comes down on them, will die.”’” 20 (S)The one among the servants of Pharaoh who [l]feared the word of the Lord made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses; 21 but he who [m]paid no regard to the word of the Lord [n]left his servants and his livestock in the field.

22 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that [o](T)hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on man and on beast and on every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” 23 Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the Lord [p]sent [q]thunder and (U)hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail, and fire [r]flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very severe, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 (V)The hail struck all that was in the field through all the land of Egypt, both man and beast; the hail also struck every plant of the field and shattered every tree of the field. 26 (W)Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail.

27 Then Pharaoh [s](X)sent for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “(Y)I have sinned this time; the Lord is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones. 28 (Z)Make supplication to the Lord, for there has been enough of God’s [t]thunder and hail; and (AA)I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” 29 Moses said to him, “As soon as I go out of the city, I will (AB)spread out my [u]hands to the Lord; the [v]thunder will cease and there will be hail no longer, that you may know that (AC)the earth is the Lord’s. 30 (AD)But as for you and your servants, I know that (AE)you do not yet [w]fear [x]the Lord God.” 31 (Now the flax and the (AF)barley were [y]ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not [z]ruined, for they ripen late.) 33 (AG)So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread out his [aa]hands to the Lord; and the [ab]thunder and the hail ceased, and rain [ac]no longer poured on the earth. 34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the [ad]thunder had ceased, he sinned again and [ae]hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 Pharaoh’s heart was [af]hardened, and he did not let the sons of Israel go, just as the (AH)Lord had spoken through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 9:2 Lit still hold
  2. Exodus 9:3 Lit will be
  3. Exodus 9:7 Lit heavy
  4. Exodus 9:11 Or soothsayer priests
  5. Exodus 9:11 Lit and on all
  6. Exodus 9:12 Lit made strong
  7. Exodus 9:14 Lit to your heart
  8. Exodus 9:16 Lit stand
  9. Exodus 9:17 Lit so as not to let
  10. Exodus 9:18 Lit cause to rain
  11. Exodus 9:18 Lit and until now
  12. Exodus 9:20 Or revered
  13. Exodus 9:21 Lit did not set his heart to
  14. Exodus 9:21 Lit then left
  15. Exodus 9:22 Lit there may be hail
  16. Exodus 9:23 Lit gave
  17. Exodus 9:23 Lit sounds
  18. Exodus 9:24 Lit taking hold of itself
  19. Exodus 9:27 Lit sent and called
  20. Exodus 9:28 Lit sounds
  21. Exodus 9:29 Lit palms
  22. Exodus 9:29 Lit sounds
  23. Exodus 9:30 Or reverence
  24. Exodus 9:30 Lit before the Lord
  25. Exodus 9:31 Lit smitten
  26. Exodus 9:32 Lit smitten
  27. Exodus 9:33 Lit palms
  28. Exodus 9:33 Lit sounds
  29. Exodus 9:33 Lit was not poured
  30. Exodus 9:34 Lit sounds
  31. Exodus 9:34 Lit made heavy
  32. Exodus 9:35 Lit strong

The Plague on Livestock

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship(A) me.” If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand(B) of the Lord will bring a terrible plague(C) on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats. But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt,(D) so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’”

The Lord set a time and said, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.” And the next day the Lord did it: All the livestock(E) of the Egyptians died,(F) but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart(G) was unyielding and he would not let the people go.(H)

The Plague of Boils

Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils(I) will break out on people and animals throughout the land.”

10 So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals. 11 The magicians(J) could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians. 12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart(K) and he would not listen(L) to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.

The Plague of Hail

13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship(M) me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know(N) that there is no one like(O) me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people(P) with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up[a] for this very purpose,(Q) that I might show you my power(R) and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 17 You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. 18 Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm(S) that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now.(T) 19 Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.’”

20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared(U) the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. 21 But those who ignored(V) the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.” 23 When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder(W) and hail,(X) and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; 24 hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.(Y) 25 Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree.(Z) 26 The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen,(AA) where the Israelites were.(AB)

27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,”(AC) he said to them. “The Lord is in the right,(AD) and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Pray(AE) to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go;(AF) you don’t have to stay any longer.”

29 Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands(AG) in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth(AH) is the Lord’s. 30 But I know that you and your officials still do not fear(AI) the Lord God.”

31 (The flax and barley(AJ) were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. 32 The wheat and spelt,(AK) however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)

33 Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the Lord; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. 34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 35 So Pharaoh’s heart(AL) was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 9:16 Or have spared you