Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and tell him: This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

2But if you refuse to let them go, then I will plague all your territory with frogs.

2But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with frogs.

3The Nile will swarm with frogs; they will come up and go into your palace, into your bedroom and on your bed, into the houses of your officials and your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls.

3The Nile shall swarm with frogs that shall come up into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls.

4The frogs will come up on you, your people, and all your officials."

4The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.”’”

5The LORD then said to Moses, "Tell Aaron: Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, canals, and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt."

5And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt!’”

6When Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.

6So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.

7But the magicians did the same thing by their occult practices and brought frogs up onto the land of Egypt.

7But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

8Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Appeal to the LORD to remove the frogs from me and my people. Then I will let the people go and they can sacrifice to the LORD."

8Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the LORD to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”

9Moses said to Pharaoh, "You may have the honor of choosing. When should I appeal on behalf of you, your officials, and your people, that the frogs be taken away from you and your houses, and remain only in the Nile?"

9Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.”

10"Tomorrow," he answered. Moses replied, "As you have said, so that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God,

10And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.

11the frogs will go away from you, your houses, your officials, and your people. The frogs will remain only in the Nile."

11The frogs shall go away from you and your houses and your servants and your people. They shall be left only in the Nile.”

12After Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD for help concerning the frogs that he had brought against Pharaoh.

12So Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD about the frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh.

13The LORD did as Moses had said: the frogs in the houses, courtyards, and fields died.

13And the LORD did according to the word of Moses. The frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields.

14They piled them in countless heaps, and there was a terrible odor in the land.

14And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.

15But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

15But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

16Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron: Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the land, and it will become gnats throughout the land of Egypt."

16Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’”

17And they did this. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and when he struck the dust of the land, gnats were on people and animals. All the dust of the land became gnats throughout the land of Egypt.

17And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt.

18The magicians tried to produce gnats using their occult practices, but they could not. The gnats remained on people and animals.

18The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast.

19"This is the finger of God," the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh's heart was hard, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

19Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

20The LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh when you see him going out to the water. Tell him: This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

20Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

21But if you will not let my people go, then I will send swarms of flies against you, your officials, your people, and your houses. The Egyptians' houses will swarm with flies, and so will the land where they live.

21Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.

22But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where my people are living; no flies will be there. This way you will know that I, the LORD, am in the land.

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

23I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow."

23Thus I will put a division between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.”’”

24And the LORD did this. Thick swarms of flies went into Pharaoh's palace and his officials' houses. Throughout Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies.

24And the LORD did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants’ houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.

25Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Go sacrifice to your God within the country."

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

26But Moses said, "It would not be right to do that, because what we will sacrifice to the LORD our God is detestable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice what the Egyptians detest in front of them, won't they stone us?

26But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?

27We must go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he instructs us."

27We must go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he tells us.”

28Pharaoh responded, "I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but don't go very far. Make an appeal for me."

28So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. Plead for me.”

29"As soon as I leave you," Moses said, "I will appeal to the LORD, and tomorrow the swarms of flies will depart from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. But Pharaoh must not act deceptively again by refusing to let the people go and sacrifice to the LORD."

29Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you and I will plead with the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh cheat again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”

30Then Moses left Pharaoh's presence and appealed to the LORD.

30So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD.

31The LORD did as Moses had said: He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people; not one was left.

31And the LORD did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained.

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

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

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.