7. Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long are you going to let this man harass us? Let these people go and worship their God. Can’t you see that Egypt is on its last legs?”
8. So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. He said to them, “Go ahead then. Go worship your God. But just who exactly is going with you?”
9. Moses said, “We’re taking young and old, sons and daughters, flocks and herds—this is our worship-celebration of God.”
12. God said to Moses: “Stretch your hand over Egypt and signal the locusts to cover the land of Egypt, devouring every blade of grass in the country, everything that the hail didn’t get.”
13. Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt. God let loose an east wind. It blew that day and night. By morning the east wind had brought in the locusts.
20. But God made Pharaoh stubborn as ever. He still didn’t release the Israelites.
21. God said to Moses: “Stretch your hand to the skies. Let darkness descend on the land of Egypt—a darkness so dark you can touch it.”
24. Pharaoh called in Moses: “Go and worship God. Leave your flocks and herds behind. But go ahead and take your children.”