Exodus 8

The LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let my people go, so that they may serve me. If you refuse to let them go, I will strike all your territory with frogs. The Nile shall swarm with frogs. They shall come up into your house, into your bedroom and onto your bed, into your servants’ houses and among your people, into your ovens and your kneading bowls. The frogs shall come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants.”’” The LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, canals, and ponds, and bring up frogs over the land of Egypt.’” Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. The magicians did the same by their enchantments and brought up frogs over the land of Egypt. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. I will let the people go, so that they may sacrifice to the LORD.” Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor of deciding: when shall I plead for you, for your servants, and for your people, to remove the frogs from you and your houses, so that they remain only in the Nile?” Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “It shall be as you say, so that you may know that there is none like the LORD our God. The frogs shall leave you, your houses, your servants, and your people. They shall remain only in the Nile.” Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to the LORD concerning the frogs he had brought upon Pharaoh. The LORD did as Moses said, and the frogs died in the houses, courtyards, and fields. They piled them in heaps upon heaps, and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. The LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.’” They did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the land, and gnats were on people and animals. All the dust of the land became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt. The magicians tried to do the same by their enchantments to bring forth gnats, but they could not. The gnats were on people and animals. The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said. The LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh when he goes out to the water. Say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let my people go, so that they may serve me. If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, on your servants, on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with the swarms, and also the ground where they are. But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live, so that no swarms shall be there, so that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land. I will distinguish my people from your people by redeeming them. This sign shall take place tomorrow.”’” The LORD did so. Dense swarms came into Pharaoh’s house and his servants’ houses, and throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.” Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for we would sacrifice to the LORD our God what is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice what is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? We shall go a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he tells us.” Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, so that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness. Only you must not go very far. Plead for me.” Moses said, “I am going out from you, and I will plead with the LORD, and the swarms shall leave Pharaoh, his servants, and his people tomorrow. Only let Pharaoh not deceive again by refusing to let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” Moses went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the LORD. The LORD did as Moses said and removed the swarms from Pharaoh, his servants, and his people. Not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also and did not let the people go.

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