1
BSB
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
2
BSB
But if you continue to restrain them and refuse to let them go,
3
BSB
then the hand of the LORD will bring a severe plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks.
4
BSB
But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’”
5
BSB
The LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.”
6
BSB
And the next day the LORD did just that. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.
7
BSB
Pharaoh sent officials and found that none of the livestock of the Israelites had died. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not let the people go.
8
BSB
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the furnace; in the sight of Pharaoh, Moses is to toss it into the air.
9
BSB
It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on man and beast throughout the land.”
10
BSB
So they took soot from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on man and beast.
11
BSB
The magicians could not stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and on all the Egyptians.
12
BSB
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said to Moses.
13
BSB
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
14
BSB
Otherwise, I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
15
BSB
For by this time I could have stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the earth.
16
BSB
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
17
BSB
Still, you lord it over My people and do not allow them to go.
18
BSB
Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded until now.
19
BSB
So give orders now to shelter your livestock and everything you have in the field. Every man or beast that remains in the field and is not brought inside will die when the hail comes down upon them.’”
20
BSB
Those among Pharaoh’s officials who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their servants and livestock to shelter,
21
BSB
but those who disregarded the word of the LORD left their servants and livestock in the field.
22
BSB
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt—on man and beast and every plant of the field throughout the land of Egypt.”
23
BSB
So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD rained down hail upon the land of Egypt.
24
BSB
The hail fell and the lightning continued flashing through it. The hail was so severe that nothing like it had ever been seen in all the land of Egypt from the time it became a nation.
25
BSB
Throughout the land of Egypt, the hail struck down everything in the field, both man and beast; it beat down every plant of the field and stripped every tree.
26
BSB
The only place where it did not hail was in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived.
27
BSB
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said. “The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
28
BSB
Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer.”
29
BSB
Moses said to him, “When I have left the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.
30
BSB
But as for you and your officials, I know that you still do not fear the LORD our God.”
31
BSB
(Now the flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley was ripe and the flax was in bloom;
32
BSB
but the wheat and spelt were not destroyed, because they are late crops.)
33
BSB
Then Moses departed from Pharaoh, went out of the city, and spread out his hands to the LORD. The thunder and hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured down on the land.
34
BSB
When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart—he and his officials.
35
BSB
So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had said through Moses.
BSB: Berean Standard Bible (BSB). Dedicated to the public domain by the rights holder.