Immerse: Beginnings Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 112
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IMMERSE
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BEGINNINGS
10:27–12:5
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more, and he would not let
them go. “Get out of here!” Pharaoh shouted at Moses. “I’m warning you.
Never come back to see me again! The day you see my face, you will die!”
“Very well,” Moses replied. “I will never see your face again.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt
with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country. In
fact, he will be so eager to get rid of you that he will force you all to leave.
Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for
articles of silver and gold.” (Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to
look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very
great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the
Egyptian people alike.)
Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons
will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits
on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the
flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die. Then a loud wail will
rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or
will ever hear again. But among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not
even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. All the officials of Egypt will
run to me and fall to the ground before me. ‘Please leave!’ they will beg.
‘Hurry! And take all your followers with you.’ Only then will I go!” Then,
burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh.
Now the Lord had told Moses earlier, “Pharaoh will not listen to you,
but then I will do even more mighty miracles in the land of Egypt.” Moses
and Aaron performed these miracles in Pharaoh’s presence, but the Lord
hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let the Israelites leave the
country.
While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the Lord gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron: “From now on, this month will
be the first month of the year for you. Announce to the whole community
of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each family must choose a
lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household. If
a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another
family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of
each family and how much they can eat. The animal you select must be a
one-year-old male, either a sheep or a goat, with no defects.
