Exodus 8

1. And the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go so that they may serve Me.

2. And if you refuse to let them go, behold, I am going to strike all your country with frogs.

3. And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and upon your bed, and into the house of your servants, and upon your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs.

4. And the frogs shall come upon you, and upon your people, and upon all your servants.” ’ ”

5. And the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’ ”

6. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.

7. And the priests did so with their secret arts, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

8. And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Pray to the LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people. And I will let the people go, so that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”

9. And Moses said to Pharaoh, “I give to you the honor—when shall I pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses so that they may remain in the river only?”

10. And he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “It shall be according to your word so that you may know that there is none like the LORD our God.

11. And 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. And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. And Moses cried to the LORD because of the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh.

13. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.

14. And they gathered them in heaps and heaps. And the land stank.

15. But Pharaoh saw that there was relief, and he hardened his heart, and did not hearken to them, even as the LORD had said.

16. And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’ ”

17. And they did so, for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth and it became lice in man and in beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

18. And the priests did so with their secret arts to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice upon man and upon beast.

19. And the priests said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not hearken to them, as the LORD had said.

20. And the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Lo, he comes forth to the water. And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.

21. And 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 house. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they are.

22. And in that day I will cut off the land of Goshen, in which My people live, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, so that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.

23. And I will put a dividing line between My people and your people. This sign shall be tomorrow.” ’ ”

24. And the LORD did so. And teeming swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was ruined because of the swarms.

25. And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go sacrifice to your God in the land.”

26. And Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. Lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?

27. We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as He shall command us.”

28. And Pharaoh said, “I will let you go so 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, “Behold, I will go out from you, and I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow. But do not let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”

30. And Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD.

31. And 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 hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.