The Second Plague: Frogs

1Then the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out), “Go to Pharaoh (great house) and tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me. 2But if you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. 3The Nile will teem with frogs, and they will come into your palace and up to your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls. 4The frogs will come up on you and your people and all your officials.’”

5And the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out), “Tell Aaron (light bringer), ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers and canals and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt (land of bondage).’”

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

7But the magicians did the same thing by their magic arts, and they also brought frogs up onto the land of Egypt (land of bondage).

8Pharaoh (great house) summoned Moses (drawn out) and Aaron (light bringer) and said, “Pray to the LORD {YHWH} to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”

9Moses (drawn out) said to Pharaoh (great house), “You may have the honor over me. When shall I pray for you and your officials and your people that the frogs (except for those in the Nile) may be taken away from you and your houses?”

10“Tomorrow,” Pharaoh answered.

“May it be as you say,” Moses replied, “so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu}. 11The frogs will depart from you and your houses and your officials and your people; they will remain only in the Nile.”

12After Moses (drawn out) and Aaron (light bringer) had left Pharaoh (great house), Moses cried out to the LORD {YHWH} for help with the frogs that He had brought against Pharaoh. 13And the LORD {YHWH} did as Moses (drawn out) requested, and the frogs in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields died. 14They were piled into countless heaps, and there was a terrible stench in the land.

15When Pharaoh (great house) saw that there was relief, however, he hardened (made heavy)a his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD {YHWH} had said.

The Third Plague: Gnats

16Then the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out), “Tell Aaron (light bringer), ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt (land of bondage).’”

17This they did, and when Aaron (light bringer) stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, gnats came upon man and beast. All the dust of the earth turned into gnats throughout the land of Egypt (land of bondage).

18The magicians tried to produce gnats using their magic arts, but they could not. And the gnats remained on man and beast.

19“This is the finger of God {Elohim},” the magicians said to Pharaoh (great house). But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (stiffened),b and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD {YHWH} had said.

The Fourth Plague: Flies

20Then the LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out), “Get up early in the morning, and when Pharaoh (great house) goes out to the water, stand before him and tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me. 21But if you will not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies \a noxious mixture/c upon you and your officials and your people and your houses. The houses of the Egyptians (double straits) and even the ground where they stand will be full of flies.

22But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen (drawing near), where My people live; no swarms of flies will be found there. In this way you will know that I, the LORD {YHWH}, am in the land. 23I will make a distinction [I will set redemption]d between My people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.’”

24And the LORD {YHWH} did so. Thick swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s (great house) palace and into the houses of his officials. Throughout Egypt (land of bondage) the land was ruined by swarms of flies.

25Then Pharaoh (great house) summoned Moses (drawn out) and Aaron (light bringer) and said, “Go, sacrifice to your⁺ God {Elohehem} within this land.”

26But Moses (drawn out) replied, “It would not be right to do that, because the sacrifices we offer to the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu} would be detestable to the Egyptians (land of bondage). If we offer sacrifices that are detestable before the Egyptians, will they not stone us? 27We must make a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu} as He commands us.”

28Pharaoh (great house) answered, “I will let you⁺ go and sacrifice to the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem} in the wilderness, but you⁺ must not go very far. Now pray for me.”

29“As soon as I leave you,” Moses (drawn out) said, “I will pray to the LORD {YHWH}, so that tomorrow the swarms of flies will depart from Pharaoh (great house) and his officials and his people. But Pharaoh must not act deceitfully again by refusing to let the people go and sacrifice to the LORD.”

30Then Moses (drawn out) left Pharaoh (great house) and prayed to the LORD {YHWH}, 31and the LORD {YHWH} did as Moses (drawn out) requested. He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh (great house) and his officials and his people; not one fly remained. 32But Pharaoh (great house) hardened his heart this time as well, and he would not let the people go.