Exodus (JPS) - Chapter 8

1: (7:26) And the LORD spoke unto Moses: "Go in unto Pharaoh, and say unto him: Thus saith the LORD: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
2: (7:27) And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs.
3: (7:28) And the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs.
4: (7:29) And the frogs shall come up both upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants."
5: (8:1) And the LORD said unto Moses: "Say unto Aaron: Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over the rivers, over the canals, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt."
6: (8:2) And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt;
and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
7: (8:3) And the magicians did in like manner with their secret arts, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
8: (8:4) Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said: "Entreat the LORD, that He take away the frogs from me, and from my people;
and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice unto the LORD."
9: (8:5) And Moses said unto Pharaoh: "Have thou this glory over me;
against what time shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, that the frogs be destroyed from thee and thy houses, and remain in the river only?"
10: (8:6) And he said: "Against to-morrow." And he said: "Be it according to thy word;
that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.
11: (8:7) And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people;
they shall remain in the river only."
12: (8:8) And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh;
and Moses cried unto the LORD concerning the frogs, which He had brought upon Pharaoh.
13: (8:9) And the LORD did according to the word of Moses;
and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.
14: (8:10) And they gathered them together in heaps;
and the land stank.
15: (8:11) But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them;
as the LORD had spoken.
16: (8:12) And the LORD said unto Moses: "Say unto Aaron: Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt."
17: (8:13) And they did so;
and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and there were gnats upon man, and upon beast;
all the dust of the earth became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.
18: (8:14) And the magicians did so with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not;
and there were gnats upon man, and upon beast.
19: (8:15) Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh: "This is the finger of God";
and Pharaoh"s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them;
as the LORD had spoken.
20: (8:16) And the LORD said unto Moses: "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh;
lo, he cometh forth to the water;
and say unto him: Thus saith the LORD: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
21: (8:17) Else, if thou wilt not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses;
and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
22: (8:18) And I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there;
to the end that thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
23: (8:19) And I will put a division between My people and thy people - by to-morrow shall this sign be."
24: (8:20) And the LORD did so;
and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants" houses;
and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by reason of the swarms of flies.
25: (8:21) And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said: "Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land."
26: (8:22) And Moses said: "It is not meet so to do;
for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God;
lo, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?
27: (8:23) We will go three days" journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as He shall command us."
28: (8:24) And Pharaoh said: "I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness;
only ye shall not go very far away;
entreat for me."
29: (8:25) And Moses said: "Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow;
only let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD."
30: (8:26) And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD.
31: (8:27) And the LORD did according to the word of Moses;
and He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people;
there remained not one.
32: (8:28) And Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.