HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 430
EX O D U S 1 0
have Moses toss it into the air while Pharaoh
watches. 9 The ashes will spread like fine dust
over the whole land of Egypt, causing festering boils to break out on people and animals
throughout the land.”
10 So they took soot from a brick kiln and
went and stood before Pharaoh. As Pharaoh
watched, Moses threw the soot into the air, and
boils broke out on people and animals alike.
11 Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on
them and all the Egyptians. 12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and just as the Lord had
predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.
A Plague of Hail
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in
the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Tell him,
‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews,
says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.
14 If you don’t, I will send more plagues on you*
and your officials and your people. Then you
will know that there is no one like me in all the
earth. 15 By now I could have lifted my hand and
struck you and your people with a plague to
wipe you off the face of the earth. 16 But I have
spared you for a purpose—to show you my
power* and to spread my fame throughout the
earth. 17 But you still lord it over my people and
refuse to let them go. 18 So tomorrow at this time
I will send a hailstorm more devastating than
any in all the history of Egypt. 19 Quick! Order
your livestock and servants to come in from the
fields to find shelter. Any person or animal left
outside will die when the hail falls.’”
20 Some of Pharaoh’s officials were afraid because of what the Lord had said. They quickly
brought their servants and livestock in from the
fields. 21 But those who paid no attention to the
word of the Lord left theirs out in the open.
• Repentance
E XO D U S 9 :2 7 -3 5
Pharaoh suffered from what might be
called “foxhole conversion syndrome.” He
was like the soldiers who, in the heat of
battle, promise to serve God for the rest
of their lives if God will only deliver them
from danger. But when the bullets cease
to fly, they quickly forget their promises
and go on their own way. So long as
Pharaoh actually felt the consequences
of sin, he was repentant. But as soon
as he returned to his comfort zone, he
returned to his godless and selfish ways.
Repentance is only sincere if it produces
lasting change.
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22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your
hand toward the sky so hail may fall on
the people, the livestock, and all the plants
throughout the land of Egypt.”
23 So Moses lifted his staff toward the sky,
and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed toward the earth. The Lord sent
a tremendous hailstorm against all the land of
Egypt. 24 Never in all the history of Egypt had
there been a storm like that, with such devastating hail and continuous lightning. 25 It left all of
Egypt in ruins. The hail struck down everything
in the open field—people, animals, and plants
alike. Even the trees were destroyed. 26 The only
place without hail was the region of Goshen,
where the people of Israel lived.
27 Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses
and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he confessed. “The Lord is the righteous one, and my
people and I are wrong. 28 Please beg the Lord
to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve
had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to
stay any longer.”
29 “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I
leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to
the Lord. Then the thunder and hail will stop,
and you will know that the earth belongs to the
Lord. 30 But I know that you and your officials
still do not fear the Lord God.”
31 (All the flax and barley were ruined by the
hail, because the barley had formed heads and
the flax was budding. 32 But the wheat and the
emmer wheat were spared, because they had
not yet sprouted from the ground.)
33 So Moses left Pharaoh’s court and went out
of the city. When he lifted his hands to the Lord,
the thunder and hail stopped, and the downpour ceased. 34 But when Pharaoh saw that the
rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his
officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn.* 35 Because his heart was hard,
Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as
the Lord had predicted through Moses.
A Plague of Locusts
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Return to
Pharaoh and make your demands again.
I have made him and his officials stubborn* so I
can display my miraculous signs among them.
2 I’ve also done it so you can tell your children
and grandchildren about how I made a mockery
of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed
among them—and so you will know that I am
the Lord.”
3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and
said, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit
to me? Let my people go, so they can worship
10
9:14 Hebrew on your heart. 9:16 Greek version reads to
display my power in you; compare Rom 9:17. 9:34 Hebrew
made his heart heavy. 10:1 Hebrew have made his heart and
his officials’ hearts heavy.