Death of the Firstborn Announced
1 And theLordsaid to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt.Afterward he will let you go from here.When he letsyougo, he will surely drive you out of here altogether.
2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver andarticles of gold.”
3 And theLordgave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the manMoseswasvery great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.
4 Then Moses said, “Thus says theLord:‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt;
5 andall the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant whoisbehind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals.
6 Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt,such as was not like itbefore,nor shall be like it again.
7 But against none of the children of Israelshall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that theLorddoes make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.’
8 Andall these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will go out.”Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.
9 But theLordsaid to Moses,“Pharaoh will not heed you, so thatMy wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
10 So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh;and theLordhardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.