Exodus 10:21-29

Contemporary English Version

Darkness

^21 (A) The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch your arm toward the sky, and everything will be covered with darkness thick enough to touch.” ^22 (B) Moses stretched his arm toward the sky, and Egypt was covered with darkness for three days. ²³ During that time, the Egyptians could not see each other or leave their homes, but there was light where the Israelites lived.

²⁴ The king^[a] sent for Moses and told him, “Go worship the Lord! And take your families with you. Just leave your sheep, goats, and cattle.”

²⁵ “No!” Moses replied. “You must let us offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, ²⁶ and we won't know which animals we will need until we get there. That's why we can't leave even one of them here.”

²⁷ This time the Lord made the king so stubborn ²⁸ that he said to Moses, “Get out and stay out! If you ever come back, you're dead!”

²⁹ “Have it your way,” Moses answered. “You won't see me again.”