² If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, ³ the hand^(A) of the Lord will bring a terrible plague^(B) on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats. ⁴ But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt,^(C) so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’”

⁵ The Lord set a time and said, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.” ⁶ And the next day the Lord did it: All the livestock^(D) of the Egyptians died,^(E) but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. ⁷ Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart^(F) was unyielding and he would not let the people go.^(G)

²⁶ The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen,^(A) where the Israelites were.^(B)

²² So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness^(A) 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.^(B)

⁵ Every firstborn^(A) 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,^(B) and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. ⁶ There will be loud wailing^(C) throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. ⁷ But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction^(D) between Egypt and Israel.