All those who were descendants of Jacob were seventy persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already).

And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation.

And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.

So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.

Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

So Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.

Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.

And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people.

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.”

that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the Lord. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.”

You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’ ”

And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river.

But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs.

And the frogs shall come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants.” ’ ”

The Third Plague: Lice

So the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’ ”

And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

And the Lord did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies.

And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.” ’ ”