Open English Translation EXO Chapter 10

10 Then Yahweh told Mosheh (Moses), “Go in to Par’oh (Pharaoh) because I’ve made him and his servants stubborn in order to be able to demonstrate these miracles of mine among them, 2 and so that in the future you’ll be able to tell your descendants that I made Mitsrayim (Egypt) look foolish, and my miracles which I demonstrated among them—and so that you will know that I am Yahweh.”

3 So Mosheh and Aharon (Aaron) went in to Par’oh and told him, “This is what Yahweh, God of the Ivrim (Hebrews) says: how long before you’ll submit to me? Let my people go so they can serve me, 4 because if you refuse to release them, then listen, I’ll bring locusts into your territory tomorrow. 5 They’ll cover the ground so that no one will even be able to see it, and they’ll devour whatever remains after the hail. Plus they’ll devour every tree growing in the countryside. 6 They’ll fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Mitsrim (Egyptians). It’ll be nothing like anything which your parents generation ever saw, nor anything seen by the previous generations from the day they came to be on the earth until today.” Then Mosheh turned around and went out from Par’oh with Aharon.

7 Then Par’oh’s servants asked him, “How much longer is this going to cause trouble for us? Let the men go and they’ll worship their god Yahweh. Don’t you understand yet that Mitsrayim is being destroyed?”

8 So Mosheh and Aharon were brought back to Par’oh, and he told them, “Go and worship your god Yahweh. Who are the ones who’ll be going?”

9 “We’ll take our children and our old folks,” Mosheh answered. “We’ll go with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because the festival of Yahweh is for all of us.”

10 “You’d need Yahweh with you if I ever let you and your children go together,” Par’oh responded. “You’re clearly plotting an evil trick! 11 Well that won’t happen! The men may go and worship Yahweh since that’s what you’ve been wanting.” Then he drove them out of the room.

12 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Extend your hand over Mitsrayim and let the locusts rise up over the land, and let them devour all the plants—everything which the hail had spared.” 13 So Mosheh stretched his staff out over Mitsrayim, and Yahweh sent an east wind over the land all that day and all night. Then morning came, and the east wind had brought the locusts. 14 The locusts covered across all the land of Mitsrayim and came to rest everywhere within the country’s borders. They were extremely numerous—never before were there so many locusts, and it’ll never be repeated again.[ref] 15 The cloud of locusts blocked the sun and prevented people from being able to see very far. They devoured all the plants on the land and all of the fruit on the trees that the hail had left, and no piece of greenery remained on any tree or plant in the entire Mitsri (Egyptian) countryside.

16 Par’oh quickly summoned Mosheh and Aharon (Aaron) and said, “I’ve sinned against your god Yahweh and against you. 17 So now just this once, please overlook my sin and pray to your god Yahweh and just let him take this deathly plague away from me.” 18 So Mosheh left Par’oh and went out and prayed to Yahweh, 19 and Yahweh caused a very strong sea wind. The wind carried away the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea—not a single locust remained anywhere in Mitsri territory. 20 But Yahweh caused Par’oh to remain stubborn and he wouldn’t release the Israelis.

21 Then Yahweh told Mosheh (Moses), “Raise your hand up toward the sky and let it become dark over all Mitsrayim (Egypt)—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Mosheh stretched his hand out towards the sky, and a thick darkness was in all Mitsrayim for three days.[ref] 23 No one could see anyone else, and for three days no one was able to go anywhere, yet there was light in the region where the Israelis lived.

24 Then Par’oh (Pharaoh) summoned Mosheh and told him, “Go serve Yahweh. Your children can go with you all, but your flocks and your herds must remain behind.”

25 “On top of that,” Mosheh responded, “you must also give us the sacrifices and offerings to be burnt when we will sacrifice to Yahweh our god. 26 And even our livestock needs to go with us. Not a hoof will be left behind because we’ll choose from them to serve Yahweh our god. You see, we won’t know what we must sacrifice to Yahweh until we arrive there.”

27 But Yahweh caused Par’oh to strengthen his resolve and he wouldn’t agree to let them go. 28 “Get out of here!” Par’oh shouted. “And watch yourself! You’ll never see me again, because if I ever see you again, I’ll have you executed!”

29 “Yes,” Mosheh responded. “It’s just as you say: I’ll never see you again!”