Exodus 8:15-32

15But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he 1hardened his heart and 2did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

16Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become 3gnats through all the land of Egypt.’” 17They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were 4gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became 56gnats through all the land of Egypt. 18The 7magicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth 8gnats, but 9they could not; so there were 10gnats on man and beast. 19Then the 11magicians said to Pharaoh, “12This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was 13hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

20Now the Lord said to Moses, “14Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, 15as 16he comes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “17Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 21For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they dwell. 2218But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are 19living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that 2021I, the Lord, am in the midst of the land. 23I will 22put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.”’” 24Then the Lord did so. And there came 23great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants and the land was 24laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt.

25Pharaoh 25called for Moses and Aaron and said, “26Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26But Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we will sacrifice to the Lord our God 27what is 28an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice 29what is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not then stone us? 27We must go a 30three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He 31commands us.” 28Pharaoh said, “32I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. 33Make supplication for me.” 29Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you, and I shall make supplication to the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh 34deal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”

30So 35Moses went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the Lord. 31The Lord did 36as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his people; not one remained. 32But Pharaoh 37hardened his heart this time also, and 38he did not let the people go.