Exodus 8:16-32 ▼

16 And the LORD said to Moses, Say to Aaron, Lift up your staff and smite the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

17 And he did so; and Aaron lifted up his hand with his staff and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice on men and on cattle; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

18 And the magicians did the same by means of their magic to bring forth lice, but they could not get rid of the lice; so there were lice on men and on cattle.

19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen 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 goes out again to his daily duty; and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Let my people go that they may serve me.

21 Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon you and upon your people and upon your house; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, like a field when it is covered with them.

22 And I will set apart on that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.

23 And I will put a division between my people and your people; tomorrow shall this sign be.

24 And the LORD did so; and he brought great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses and into all the land of Egypt; and the land was ruined by reason of the swarms of flies.

25 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said to them, Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.

26 And Moses said, It is not proper to do so; for we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God some of the animals that are an abomination to the Egyptians. And if we should sacrifice animals that are idols before Egyptian eyes, they would stone us.

27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.

28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away, and you must pray for me also.

29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from your presence and I will pray before the LORD and he will cause the swarms of flies to depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more by refusing to allow the people to go to sacrifice to the LORD.

30 So Moses went out from the presence of Pharaoh and prayed before the LORD.

31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh and from his servants and from his people; there remained not one.

32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also and did not let the people go.