Exodus 9:1-21 ▼

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews says: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.

2 For if you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them,

3 behold, the hand of the LORD will come with a very severe plague on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks.

4 But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.”’”

5 And the LORD set a definite time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.”

6 So the LORD did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but not one of the livestock of the sons of Israel died.

7 And Pharaoh sent men, and they learned that, behold, not even one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

8 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of soot from a kiln, and Moses shall toss it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.

9 Then it will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and will turn into boils breaking out with sores on every person and animal through all the land of Egypt.”

10 So they took soot from a kiln, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses tossed it toward the sky, and it became boils breaking out with sores on every person and animal.

11 The soothsayer priests could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the soothsayer priests as well as on all the Egyptians.

12 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

13 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews says: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.

14 For this time I am going to send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.

15 For had I now put out My hand and struck you and your people with plague, you would then have been eliminated from the earth.

16 But indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name throughout the earth.

17 Still you exalt yourself against My people by not letting them go.

18 Behold, about this time tomorrow, I will send a very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.

19 So now, send word, bring your livestock and whatever you have in the field to safety. Every person and animal that is found in the field and is not brought home, when the hail comes down on them, will die.”’”

20 Everyone among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring his servants and his livestock into the houses;

21 but everyone who did not pay regard to the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field.