The Ninth Plague: Darkness

21 Then the Lord said to Moses, (A)“Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be (B)darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but (C)all the people of Israel had light where they lived. 24 Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, (D)“Go, serve the Lord; (E)your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” 25 But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. 26 Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.” 27 But the Lord (F)hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.” 29 Moses said, “As you say! (G)I will not see your face again.”

A Final Plague Threatened

11 The Lord said to Moses, “Yet (H)one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. (I)When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. Speak now in the hearing of the people, that (J)they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” (K)And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: (L)‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is (M)behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. (N)There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl (O)against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord (P)makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ And (Q)all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. Then the Lord said to Moses, (R)“Pharaoh will not listen to you, that (S)my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the Lord (T)hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

The Plague of Darkness

21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness(A) spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness(B) covered all Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.(C)

24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go,(D) worship the Lord. Even your women and children(E) may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.”(F)

25 But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings(G) to present to the Lord our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.”

27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart,(H) and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.”

29 “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear(I) before you again.”

The Plague on the Firstborn

11 Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go(J) from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely.(K) Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”(L) (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed(M) toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded(N) in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)

So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight(O) I will go throughout Egypt.(P) Every firstborn(Q) son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill,(R) and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing(S) throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction(T) between Egypt and Israel. All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go,(U) you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.”(V) Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen(W) to you—so that my wonders(X) may be multiplied in Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart,(Y) and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.