瘟疫之灾

耶和华对摩西说:“你再进宫见法老,告诉他,‘希伯来人的上帝耶和华说,让我的子民去事奉我。 如果你不让他们走,继续扣留他们, 我就会使你田间所有的牲畜,包括马、驴、骆驼和牛羊,都染上严重的瘟疫。 但我要把埃及和以色列的牲畜分开,以色列人的牲畜必丝毫无损。’” 耶和华定了日期,说:“明天耶和华必在此地行这事。” 第二天,耶和华就这样行了,埃及的牲畜都死了,但以色列人的牲畜一头也没死。 法老派人去探查,发现以色列人的牲畜真的安然无恙。可是,他仍然顽固,不肯让以色列人离开。

脓疮之灾

耶和华对摩西和亚伦说:“你们去取几把窑里的灰,摩西要在法老面前把灰抛向空中。 这灰要变成尘土,散布在埃及每一个角落,落在人或牲畜身上,就会起疱长疮。” 10 摩西和亚伦便取了一些窑里的灰,站在法老面前,摩西把灰抛向空中,埃及人和牲畜身上就开始起疱长疮。 11 埃及的巫师无法与摩西对抗,因为他们及所有埃及人身上都长了脓疮。 12 耶和华使法老的心刚硬,他就不听他们的话,正如耶和华对摩西说的。

冰雹之灾

13 耶和华对摩西说:“明天一早你再去见法老,对他说,‘希伯来人的上帝耶和华这样说,你要让我的子民出去事奉我。 14 这一次,我要降下大灾祸在你及你的臣仆和百姓身上,好叫你知道普天之下我独一无二。 15 我若用瘟疫攻击你和你的百姓,你们早就灭亡了。 16 我让你活到现在,是为了向你彰显我的权能,使我的名传遍天下。 17 但你竟然在我的子民面前狂傲自大,不让他们离开。 18 明天这个时候,我要使天上降下大冰雹,是你们埃及立国以来从没有见过的。 19 现在,你要叫人赶快到田间把牲畜和属于你的一切都带到安全的地方。凡留在田间的人或牲畜都会被冰雹打死。’” 20 有些法老的臣仆听了耶和华的话就很害怕,赶忙把在田间的仆人和牲畜都召回屋里。 21 但那些不把耶和华的话放在心上的,仍把他们的奴仆和牲畜留在田间。 22 耶和华对摩西说:“你向天伸杖,天就会降下冰雹,落在埃及的一切人畜身上,摧毁田间的一切农作物。” 23 摩西向天伸出手杖,耶和华就发出雷电和冰雹,火光飞向大地。耶和华在埃及降下冰雹。 24 那时冰雹夹杂着火降下来,极为严重,在埃及史无前例。 25 冰雹摧毁了埃及境内田间的一切,包括人和牲畜,摧毁了田里的一切作物,打断了所有的树木, 26 只有以色列人所住的歌珊没有冰雹。 27 法老派人召来摩西和亚伦,对他们说:“这次我犯罪了,耶和华是对的,我和我的百姓错了。 28 请你们向耶和华祷告,好止住雷电和冰雹。我准许以色列人出去,你们不必再留在这里了。” 29 摩西回答说:“我一出城,就向耶和华举手祷告,雷电和冰雹必立刻停止,这样你就知道普天下都属于耶和华。 30 但我知道你和你的臣仆还是不敬畏上帝耶和华。”

31 这场冰雹发生在大麦吐穗和亚麻开花的时候。 32 小麦和粗麦较晚成熟,没有被冰雹打坏。 33 摩西离开法老,走出城外向耶和华举手祷告,雷和冰雹便停止了,豪雨也不下了。 34 法老看见灾祸停止,就又犯罪,他和他的臣仆都心里顽固。 35 法老硬着心,不让以色列人离开,正如耶和华借摩西所言。

“Go back to Pharaoh,” the Lord commanded Moses, “and tell him, ‘Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, demands that you let his people go to sacrifice to him. If you refuse, the power of God will send a deadly plague to destroy your cattle, horses, donkeys, camels, flocks, and herds. But the plague will affect only the cattle of Egypt; none of the Israeli herds and flocks will even be touched!’”

The Lord announced that the plague would begin the very next day, and it did. The next morning all the cattle of the Egyptians began dying, but not one of the Israeli herds was even sick. Pharaoh sent to see whether it was true that none of the Israeli cattle were dead, yet when he found out that it was so, even then his mind remained unchanged and he refused to let the people go.

Then Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, “Take ashes from the kiln and have Moses toss them into the sky as Pharaoh watches. They will spread like fine dust over all the land of Egypt and cause boils to break out upon people and animals alike, throughout the land.”

10 So they took ashes from the kiln and went to Pharaoh; as he watched, Moses tossed them toward the sky, and they became boils that broke out on men and animals alike throughout all Egypt. 11 And the magicians couldn’t stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils appeared upon them too. 12 But Jehovah hardened Pharaoh in his stubbornness, so that he refused to listen, just as the Lord had predicted to Moses.

13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Jehovah the God of the Hebrews says, “Let my people go to worship me. 14 This time I am going to send a plague that will really speak to you and to your servants and to all the Egyptian people, and prove to you there is no other God in all the earth. 15 I could have killed you all by now, 16 but I didn’t, for I wanted to demonstrate my power to you and to all the earth. 17 So you still think you are so great, do you, and defy my power, and refuse to let my people go? 18 Well, tomorrow about this time I will send a hailstorm across the nation such as there has never been since Egypt was founded! 19 Quick! Bring in your cattle from the fields, for every man and animal left out in the fields will die beneath the hail!”’”

20 Some of the Egyptians, terrified by this threat, brought their cattle and slaves in from the fields; 21 but those who had no regard for the word of Jehovah left them out in the storm.

22 Then Jehovah said to Moses, “Point your hand toward heaven and cause the hail to fall throughout all Egypt, upon the people, animals, and trees.”

23 So Moses held out his hand, and the Lord sent thunder and hail and lightning. 24 It was terrible beyond description. Never in all the history of Egypt had there been a storm like that. 25 All Egypt lay in ruins. Everything left in the fields, men and animals alike, was killed, and the trees were shattered and the crops were destroyed. 26 The only spot in all Egypt without hail that day was the land of Goshen where the people of Israel lived.

27 Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. “I finally see my fault,” he confessed. “Jehovah is right, and I and my people have been wrong all along. 28 Beg God to end this terrifying thunder and hail, and I will let you go at once.”

29 “All right,” Moses replied, “as soon as I have left the city I will spread out my hands to the Lord, and the thunder and hail will stop. This will prove to you that the earth is controlled by Jehovah. 30 But as for you and your officials, I know that even yet you will not obey him.” 31 All the flax and barley were knocked down and destroyed (for the barley was ripe, and the flax was in bloom), 32 but the wheat and the emmer were not destroyed, for they were not yet out of the ground.

33 So Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city and lifted his hands to heaven to the Lord, and the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain ceased pouring down. 34 When Pharaoh saw this, he and his officials sinned yet more by their stubborn refusal to do what they had promised; 35 so Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the Lord had predicted to Moses.

La plaga en el ganado

Entonces el Señor le dijo a Moisés:

—Ve a ver al faraón, y dile: “Así dice el Señor, el Dios de los hebreos: Deja ir a mi pueblo, para que me adore. Si no los dejas ir, sino que los sigues deteniendo, el Señor descargará su poder sobre tus ganados que están en el campo, y habrá una peste muy grave. Morirán los caballos, los asnos, los camellos, las vacas y las ovejas. Pero el Señor hará distinción entre los ganados de Israel y los de Egipto, para que no muera ningún animal de los israelitas.”

Además el Señor puso un plazo, y dijo:

—Yo haré esto mañana.

Al día siguiente, el Señor lo hizo. Todo el ganado egipcio murió, pero del ganado israelita no murió ni un solo animal. El faraón mandó a ver el ganado de Israel, y resultó que ningún animal había muerto. Sin embargo, se puso terco y no dejó ir a los israelitas.

La plaga de llagas

Entonces el Señor les dijo a Moisés y Aarón:

—Tomen puñados de ceniza de un horno, y que arroje Moisés la ceniza hacia arriba, en presencia del faraón. La ceniza se convertirá en polvo y se extenderá por todo el país, produciendo llagas en todos los hombres y animales de Egipto.

10 Moisés y Aarón tomaron ceniza de un horno y fueron a ver al faraón. Allí Moisés arrojó la ceniza hacia arriba, y tanto hombres como animales quedaron cubiertos de llagas. 11 Los magos no pudieron hacerle frente a Moisés, porque ellos, lo mismo que todos los egipcios, estaban cubiertos de llagas. 12 Pero el Señor hizo que el faraón se pusiera terco y que no les hiciera caso a Moisés y Aarón, tal como el Señor le había dicho a Moisés.

La plaga de granizo

13 Entonces el Señor le dijo a Moisés:

—Levántate mañana temprano, y ve a decirle al faraón: “Así ha dicho el Señor, el Dios de los hebreos: Deja ir a mi pueblo, para que me adore; 14 porque esta vez voy a enviar todas mis plagas contra ti, y contra tus funcionarios y tu gente, para que sepas que no hay otro como yo en toda la tierra. 15 Yo podría haberte mostrado mi poder castigándote a ti y a tu pueblo con una plaga, y ya habrías desaparecido de la tierra; 16 pero te he dejado vivir para que veas mi poder, y para darme a conocer en toda la tierra. 17 A pesar de eso, tú sigues oponiéndote a mi pueblo y no lo dejas ir. 18 ¡Pues bien! Mañana a esta hora haré que caiga una fuerte granizada, como no ha caído otra igual en toda la historia de Egipto. 19 Así que manda poner en lugar seguro tu ganado y todo lo que tienes en el campo, porque el granizo, al caer, matará a todos los hombres y animales que estén al aire libre y no bajo techo.”

20 Algunos funcionarios del faraón tuvieron miedo de la advertencia del Señor, y pusieron a sus esclavos y animales bajo techo; 21 pero hubo otros que no la tomaron en serio, y los dejaron al aire libre. 22 Entonces el Señor le dijo a Moisés:

—Levanta tu brazo hacia el cielo, para que en todo Egipto caiga granizo sobre hombres y animales, y sobre las plantas de los campos egipcios.

23 Moisés levantó su brazo hacia el cielo, y el Señor envió truenos, rayos y granizo sobre la tierra. Hizo que granizara en todo Egipto, 24 y el granizo y los rayos caían sin parar. En toda la historia de Egipto jamás había caído una granizada tan fuerte. 25 El granizo destrozó todo lo que había en el territorio egipcio: destruyó hombres y animales, y todas las plantas del campo, y desgajó además todos los árboles del país. 26 A pesar de eso, en la tierra de Gosen, donde vivían los israelitas, no cayó un solo granizo.

27 Entonces el faraón mandó llamar a Moisés y Aarón, y les dijo:

—Reconozco que he pecado. La culpa es mía y de mi pueblo, y no del Señor. 28 Demasiados truenos y granizo hemos tenido ya, así que no voy a detenerlos más. Pídan ustedes al Señor por nosotros, y yo los dejaré ir.

29 Y Moisés le contestó:

—Tan pronto como yo salga de la ciudad, levantaré mis manos en oración al Señor. Entonces dejará de granizar y no habrá más truenos, para que sepas que la tierra es del Señor. 30 Pero yo sé bien que ni tú ni tus funcionarios tienen todavía temor de Dios el Señor.

31 Los sembrados de lino y de cebada quedaron destrozados, pues la cebada estaba ya en espiga y el lino estaba en flor. 32 Pero al trigo y al centeno no les pasó nada porque brotan más tarde.

33 Cuando Moisés salió de la ciudad, después de haber estado con el faraón, levantó sus manos al Señor en oración. Inmediatamente dejó de granizar y de llover, y no hubo más truenos. 34 Pero en cuanto el faraón vio que ya no llovía, ni granizaba, ni había truenos, volvió a pecar. Y no sólo él se puso terco, sino también sus funcionarios. 35 El faraón se puso terco y no dejó ir a los israelitas, tal como el Señor lo había dicho antes por medio de Moisés.

The Plague on Livestock

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship(A) me.” If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand(B) of the Lord will bring a terrible plague(C) on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats. But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt,(D) so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’”

The Lord set a time and said, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.” And the next day the Lord did it: All the livestock(E) of the Egyptians died,(F) but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart(G) was unyielding and he would not let the people go.(H)

The Plague of Boils

Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils(I) will break out on people and animals throughout the land.”

10 So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals. 11 The magicians(J) could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians. 12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart(K) and he would not listen(L) to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.

The Plague of Hail

13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship(M) me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know(N) that there is no one like(O) me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people(P) with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up[a] for this very purpose,(Q) that I might show you my power(R) and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 17 You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. 18 Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm(S) that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now.(T) 19 Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.’”

20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared(U) the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. 21 But those who ignored(V) the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.” 23 When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder(W) and hail,(X) and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; 24 hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.(Y) 25 Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree.(Z) 26 The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen,(AA) where the Israelites were.(AB)

27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,”(AC) he said to them. “The Lord is in the right,(AD) and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Pray(AE) to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go;(AF) you don’t have to stay any longer.”

29 Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands(AG) in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth(AH) is the Lord’s. 30 But I know that you and your officials still do not fear(AI) the Lord God.”

31 (The flax and barley(AJ) were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. 32 The wheat and spelt,(AK) however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)

33 Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the Lord; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. 34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 35 So Pharaoh’s heart(AL) was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 9:16 Or have spared you