瘟疫之災

耶和華對摩西說:「你再進宮見法老,告訴他,『希伯來人的上帝耶和華說,讓我的子民去事奉我。 如果你不讓他們走,繼續扣留他們, 我就會使你田間所有的牲畜,包括馬、驢、駱駝和牛羊,都染上嚴重的瘟疫。 但我要把埃及和以色列的牲畜分開,以色列人的牲畜必絲毫無損。』」 耶和華定了日期,說:「明天耶和華必在此地行這事。」 第二天,耶和華就這樣行了,埃及的牲畜都死了,但以色列人的牲畜一頭也沒死。 法老派人去探查,發現以色列人的牲畜真的安然無恙。可是,他仍然頑固,不肯讓以色列人離開。

膿瘡之災

耶和華對摩西和亞倫說:「你們去取幾把窯裡的灰,摩西要在法老面前把灰拋向空中。 這灰要變成塵土,散佈在埃及每一個角落,落在人或牲畜身上,就會起皰長瘡。」 10 摩西和亞倫便取了一些窯裡的灰,站在法老面前,摩西把灰拋向空中,埃及人和牲畜身上就開始起皰長瘡。 11 埃及的巫師無法與摩西對抗,因為他們及所有埃及人身上都長了膿瘡。 12 耶和華使法老的心剛硬,他就不聽他們的話,正如耶和華對摩西說的。

冰雹之災

13 耶和華對摩西說:「明天一早你再去見法老,對他說,『希伯來人的上帝耶和華這樣說,你要讓我的子民出去事奉我。 14 這一次,我要降下大災禍在你及你的臣僕和百姓身上,好叫你知道普天之下我獨一無二。 15 我若用瘟疫攻擊你和你的百姓,你們早就滅亡了。 16 我讓你活到現在,是為了向你彰顯我的權能,使我的名傳遍天下。 17 但你竟然在我的子民面前狂傲自大,不讓他們離開。 18 明天這個時候,我要使天上降下大冰雹,是你們埃及立國以來從沒有見過的。 19 現在,你要叫人趕快到田間把牲畜和屬於你的一切都帶到安全的地方。凡留在田間的人或牲畜都會被冰雹打死。』」 20 有些法老的臣僕聽了耶和華的話就很害怕,趕忙把在田間的僕人和牲畜都召回屋裡。 21 但那些不把耶和華的話放在心上的,仍把他們的奴僕和牲畜留在田間。 22 耶和華對摩西說:「你向天伸杖,天就會降下冰雹,落在埃及的一切人畜身上,摧毀田間的一切農作物。」 23 摩西向天伸出手杖,耶和華就發出雷電和冰雹,火光飛向大地。耶和華在埃及降下冰雹。 24 那時冰雹夾雜著火降下來,極為嚴重,在埃及史無前例。 25 冰雹摧毀了埃及境內田間的一切,包括人和牲畜,摧毀了田裡的一切作物,打斷了所有的樹木, 26 只有以色列人所住的歌珊沒有冰雹。 27 法老派人召來摩西和亞倫,對他們說:「這次我犯罪了,耶和華是對的,我和我的百姓錯了。 28 請你們向耶和華禱告,好止住雷電和冰雹。我准許以色列人出去,你們不必再留在這裡了。」 29 摩西回答說:「我一出城,就向耶和華舉手禱告,雷電和冰雹必立刻停止,這樣你就知道普天下都屬於耶和華。 30 但我知道你和你的臣僕還是不敬畏上帝耶和華。」

31 這場冰雹發生在大麥吐穗和亞麻開花的時候。 32 小麥和粗麥較晚成熟,沒有被冰雹打壞。 33 摩西離開法老,走出城外向耶和華舉手禱告,雷和冰雹便停止了,豪雨也不下了。 34 法老看見災禍停止,就又犯罪,他和他的臣僕都心裡頑固。 35 法老硬著心,不讓以色列人離開,正如耶和華藉摩西所言。

'出 埃 及 記 9 ' not found for the version: Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version.

Then the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,

Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.

And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.

And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.

And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

12 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.

13 And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

20 He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:

21 And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.

22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.

26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

28 Intreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's.

30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God.

31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.

32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.

33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the Lord: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.

34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses.

Then Adonai said to Moshe, “Go to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘Here is what Adonai, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they can worship me. If you refuse to let them go and persist in holding on to them, the hand of Adonai is on your livestock in the field — on the horses, donkeys, camels, cattle and flocks — and will make them suffer a devastating illness. But Adonai will distinguish between Egypt’s and Isra’el’s livestock — nothing belonging to the people of Isra’el will die.”’” Adonai determined the exact time by saying, “Tomorrow Adonai will do this in the land.” The following day, Adonai did it — all the livestock of Egypt died; but not one of the animals belonging to the people of Isra’el died. Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the people of Isra’el had died. Nevertheless, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.

Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, “Take handfuls of ashes from a kiln, and let Moshe throw them in the air before Pharaoh’s eyes. They will turn into fine dust over all the land of Egypt and become infected sores on men and animals throughout Egypt.” 10 So they took ashes from a kiln, stood in front of Pharaoh and threw them in the air; and they became infected sores on men and animals. 11 The magicians couldn’t even stand in Moshe’s presence because of the sores, which were on them as well as on the other Egyptians. 12 But Adonai made Pharaoh hardhearted, so that he didn’t listen to them — just as Adonai had said to Moshe.

13 Adonai said to Moshe, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Here is what Adonai says: “Let my people go, so that they can worship me. 14 For this time, I will inflict my plagues on you, yourself, and on your officials and your people; so that you will realize that I am without equal in all the earth. 15 By now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with such severe plagues that you would have been wiped off the earth. 16 But it is for this very reason that I have kept you alive — to show you my power, and so that my name may resound throughout the whole earth. (vii) 17 Since you are still setting yourself up against my people and not letting them go, 18 tomorrow, about this time, I will cause a hailstorm so heavy that Egypt has had nothing like it from the day it was founded until now. 19 Therefore, send and hurry to bring indoors all your livestock and everything else you have in the field. For hail will fall on every human being and animal left in the field that hasn’t been brought home, and they will die.”’”

20 Whoever among Pharaoh’s servants feared what Adonai had said had his slaves and livestock escape into the houses; 21 but those who had no regard for what Adonai had said left their slaves and livestock in the field.

22 Adonai said to Moshe, “Reach out your hand toward the sky, so that there will be hail in all the land of Egypt, falling on people, animals and everything growing in the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” 23 Moshe reached out with his staff toward the sky, and Adonai sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. Adonai caused it to hail on the land of Egypt — 24 it hailed, and fire flashed up with the hail; it was terrible, worse than any hailstorm in all of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 Throughout all the land of Egypt, the hail struck everything in the field, people and animals; and the hail struck every plant growing in the field and broke every tree there. 26 But in the land of Goshen, where the people of Isra’el were, there was no hail.

27 Pharaoh summoned Moshe and Aharon and said to them, “This time I have sinned: Adonai is in the right; I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Intercede with Adonai — we can’t take any more of this terrible thunder and hail; and I will let you go, you will stay no longer.” 29 Moshe said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to Adonai; the thunder will end, and there won’t be any more hail — so that you can know that the earth belongs to Adonai. 30 But you and your servants, I know you still won’t fear Adonai, God.” 31 The flax and barley were ruined, because the barley was ripe and the flax in bud. 32 But the wheat and buckwheat were not ruined, because they come up later. (Maftir) 33 Moshe went out of the city, away from Pharaoh, and spread out his hands to Adonai. The thunder and hail ended, and the rain stopped pouring down on the earth. 34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail and thunder had ended, he sinned still more by making himself hardhearted, he and his servants. 35 Pharaoh was made hardhearted, and he didn’t let the people of Isra’el go, just as Adonai had said through Moshe.

Haftarah Va’era: Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 28:25–29:21

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Va’era: Romans 9:14–17; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1