1 a he told Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Let my people go so they may serveb me. 2And if you refuse to let them go, then I’m going to strike all your territory with frogs. 3The Nile will swarm with frogs. They’ll come up and enter your house, your bedroom, your bed, and your servants’ houses. They’ll jump on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs. 4The frogs will be all over you and your servants.”’”

5 c Then the LORD told Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the Nile River,d and over the ponds, and bring up frogs over the land of Egypt.’” 6So Aaron stretched his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7But the magicians did the same thinge with their secret arts, and they brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

8Then Pharaoh called to Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the LORD so that he may remove the frogs from me and my people. I’ll let the people go so they can offer sacrifices to the LORD.”

9Moses told Pharaoh, “You decidef when I should plead for you, your servants, and your people to removeg the frogs from you and your household. They’ll remain only in the Nile River.h ”

10Pharaohi said, “Tomorrow.”

Mosesj said, “It will be just as you say,k so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. 11The frogs will leave you, your house, your officials,l and your people. They’ll remain only in the Nile River.m ”

12Then Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh’s presence, and Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs which he had sentn on Pharaoh. 13The LORD did just as Moses asked,o and the frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards, and in the fields. 14They gathered them up into large piles and the land smelled terrible. 15But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted.

The Plague of Gnats

16Then the LORD told Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff, strike the dust of the ground, and the dustp will become gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’” 17They did this.q Aaron stretched his hand out with his staff, struck the dust of the land, and gnats came on people and animals—all the dust of the ground became gnats throughout the land of Egypt. 18The magicians triedr to do the same things with their secret arts, but they were unable to bring out the gnats. The gnats were on the people and the animals.

19The magicians told Pharaoh, “It is the finger of God!”t But Pharaoh’s heart was stubbornu and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted.

20The LORD told Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he’s going down to the water. You are to say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Let my people go so they can servev me. 21But if you don’t let my people go, I’ll send swarms of insects upon you, your servants, your people, and your households. The houses of Egypt—and even the ground on which they stand—will be filled with swarms of insects. 22On that day I’ll treat the land of Goshen where my people livew differently so that swarms of insects won’t be there. As a result, you will know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land. 23I’ll make a distinction between my people and your people, and this sign will occur tomorrow.”’”

24The LORD did this, and dense swarms of insects came into the house of Pharaoh and into the houses of his servants. The land was ruined throughoutx Egypt because of the swarms of insects. 25Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, offer sacrifices to your God in the land.”

26“It wouldn’t be right to sacrifice in this way,”y Moses replied, “because if we do,z we will sacrifice to the LORD our God what is offensive to the Egyptians.aa If we offer sacrifices that are offensive to the Egyptiansbb in front of them, they’ll stone us, won’t they? 27We must go a three-day journey into the desert, and we’ll offer sacrifices to the LORD our God just as he has told us.”

28Then Pharaoh said, “I’ll let you go so you can offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the desert. But you must not go very far away. Pray for me.”

29Moses said, “Right now I’m going to leave you, and I’ll pray to the LORD that the swarms of insects may depart from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people tomorrow. But Pharaoh, don’t continue lying by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.”

30Then Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and prayed to the LORD. 31The LORD did what Moses asked,cc and the swarms of insects departed from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. Not one remained. 32But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart, and he did not let the people go.