The Second Blow: Frogs
7:2561 Seven full days passed62 after the Lord struck63 the Nile. 8:1 64 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Release my people in order that they may serve me. 8:2 But if you refuse to release them, then I am going to plague65 all your territory with frogs.66 8:3 The Nile will swarm67 with frogs, and they will go up and come into your house, in your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading troughs.68 8:4 Frogs69 will go up against you, your people, and all your servants.”’”70
8:5 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Extend your hand with your rod71 over the rivers, over the canals, and over the ponds, and bring the frogs up over the land of Egypt.’” 8:6 So Aaron extended his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs72 came up and covered the land of Egypt.
8:7 The magicians did the same73 with their secret arts and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt too.74
8:8 Then Pharaoh summoned75 Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray76 to the Lord that he may take away77 the frogs from me and my people, and I will release78 the people that they may sacrifice79 to the Lord.” 8:9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor over me80—when shall I pray for you, your servants, and your people, for the frogs to be removed81 from you and your houses, so that82 they will be left83 only in the Nile?” 8:10 He said, “Tomorrow.” And Moses said,84 “It will be85 according to your word,86 so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 8:11 The frogs will depart from you, your houses, your servants, and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.”
8:12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried87 to the Lord because of88 the frogs that he had brought on89 Pharaoh. 8:13 The Lord did according to Moses’ word—the90 frogs died out of the houses, the villages, and the fields. 8:14 The Egyptians91 piled them in countless heaps,92 and the land stank. 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief,93 he hardened94 his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.95
The Third Blow: Gnats
8:1696 The Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Extend your rod and strike the dust of the ground, and it will become97 gnats98 in all the land of Egypt.’” 8:17 They did so; Aaron extended his hand with his rod, he struck the dust of the ground, and it became gnats on people99 and on animals. All the dust of the ground became gnats in all the land of Egypt. 8:18 When100 the magicians did so101 to bring forth gnats with their secret arts, they could not. So there were gnats on people and on animals. 8:19 The magicians said102 to Pharaoh, “It is the finger103 of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard,104 and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.
The Fourth Blow: Flies
8:20105 The Lord106 said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and take your position before Pharaoh as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Release my people that they may serve me. 8:21 If you do not release107 my people, then I am going to send108 swarms of flies109 on you and on your servants and on your people and in your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground where they stand.110 8:22 But on that day I will mark off111 the land of Goshen, where my people are staying,112 so that no swarms of flies will be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.113 8:23 I will put a division114 between my people and your people. This sign will take place115 tomorrow.”’” 8:24 The Lord did so; a116 thick117 swarm of flies came into118 Pharaoh’s house and into the houses119 of his servants, and throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined120 because of the swarms of flies.
8:25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.”121 8:26 But Moses said, “That would not be the right thing to do,122 for the sacrifices we make123 to the Lord our God would be an abomination124 to the Egyptians.125 If we make sacrifices that are an abomination to the Egyptians right before their eyes,126 will they not stone us?127 8:27 We must go128 on a three day journey129 into the desert and sacrifice130 to the Lord our God, just as he is telling us.”131
8:28 Pharaoh said, “I will release you132 so that you may sacrifice133 to the Lord your God in the desert. Only you must not go very far.134 Do135 pray for me.”
8:29 Moses said, “I am going to go out136 from you and pray to the Lord, and the swarms of flies will go away from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh deal falsely again137 by not releasing138 the people to sacrifice to the Lord.” 8:30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, 8:31 and the Lord did according to Moses’ word—he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. 8:32 But Pharaoh hardened139 his heart this time also and did not release the people.
The Fifth Blow: Disease