Exodus 7-9; Psalms 19 - Prayer Tents

Exodus 7

Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Serpent

7Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pay close attention to this. I will make you seem like God to Pharaoh, and your brother, Aaron, will be your prophet.H3068H559H4872H7200H5414H430H6547H175H251H50302Tell Aaron everything I command you, and Aaron must command Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave his country.H1696H6680H175H251H1696H6547H7971H1121H3478H7763But I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.H7185H6547H3820H7235H226H4159H776H47144Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces—my people, the Israelites—from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment.H6547H8085H5414H3027H4714H3318H6635H5971H1121H3478H776H4714H1419H82015When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD."H4714H3045H3068H5186H3027H4714H3318H1121H3478H84326So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them.H4872H175H6213H3068H6680H62137Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh.H4872H8084H8141H1121H175H8084H7969H8141H1121H1696H65478Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,H3068H559H4872H175H5599"Pharaoh will demand, 'Show me a miracle.' When he does this, say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent

.'"H6547H1696H559H5414H4159H559H175H3947H4294H7993H6440H6547H857710So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the LORD had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent!H4872H175H935H6547H6213H3068H6680H175H7993H4294H6440H6547H6440H5650H857711Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic.H6547H7121H2450H3784H2748H4714H6213H3651H385812They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.H7993H376H4294H8577H175H4294H1104H429413Pharaoh's heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the LORD had predicted.H2388H6547H3820H8085H3068H1696

A Plague of Blood

14Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn

, and he still refuses to let the people go.H3068H559H4872H6547H3820H3515H3985H5971H797115So go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes down to the river. Stand on the bank of the Nile and meet him there. Be sure to take along the staff that turned into a snake.H3212H6547H1242H3318H4325H5324H2975H8193H7125H4294H2015H5175H3947H302716Then announce to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you, "Let my people go, so they can worship me in the wilderness." Until now, you have refused to listen to him.H559H3068H430H5680H7971H559H5971H7971H5647H4057H3541H808517So this is what the LORD says: "I will show you that I am the LORD." Look! I will strike the water of the Nile with this staff in my hand, and the river will turn to blood.H559H3068H3045H3068H5221H4294H3027H4325H2975H2015H181818The fish in it will die, and the river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink any water from the Nile.'"H1710H2975H4191H2975H887H4714H3811H8354H4325H297519Then the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and raise your hand over the waters of Egypt—all its rivers, canals, ponds, and all the reservoirs. Turn all the water to blood. Everywhere in Egypt the water will turn to blood, even the water stored in wooden bowls and stone pots.'"H3068H559H4872H559H175H3947H4294H5186H3027H4325H4714H5104H2975H98H4723H4325H1818H1818H776H4714H6086H6820So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded them. As Pharaoh and all of his officials watched, Aaron raised his staff and struck the water of the Nile. Suddenly, the whole river turned to blood!H4872H175H6213H3068H6680H7311H4294H5221H4325H2975H5869H6547H5869H5650H4325H2975H2015H181821The fish in the river died, and the water became so foul that the Egyptians couldn't drink it. There was blood everywhere throughout the land of Egypt.H1710H2975H4191H2975H887H4714H3201H8354H4325H2975H1818H776H471422But again the magicians of Egypt used their magic, and they, too, turned water into blood. So Pharaoh's heart remained hard. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted.H2748H4714H6213H3909H6547H3820H2388H8085H3068H169623Pharaoh returned to his palace and put the whole thing out of his mind.H6547H6437H935H1004H7896H3820H206324Then all the Egyptians dug along the riverbank to find drinking water, for they couldn't drink the water from the Nile.H4714H2658H5439H2975H4325H8354H3201H8354H4325H297525Seven days passed from the time the LORD struck the Nile.H7651H3117H4390H310H3068H5221H2975

Exodus 8

A Plague of Frogs

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go back to Pharaoh and announce to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.H3068H559H4872H935H6547H559H559H3068H5971H7971H56472If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs across your entire land.H3986H7971H5062H1366H68543The Nile River will swarm with frogs. They will come up out of the river and into your palace, even into your bedroom and onto your bed! They will enter the houses of your officials and your people. They will even jump into your ovens and your kneading bowls.H2975H8317H6854H8317H5927H935H1004H2315H4904H4296H1004H5650H5971H8574H48634Frogs will jump on you, your people, and all your officials.'"H6854H5927H5971H56505

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Raise the staff in your hand over all the rivers, canals, and ponds of Egypt, and bring up frogs over all the land.'"H3068H559H4872H559H175H5186H3027H4294H5104H2975H98H6854H5927H776H47146So Aaron raised his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs came up and covered the whole land!H175H5186H3027H4325H4714H6854H5927H3680H776H47147But the magicians were able to do the same thing with their magic. They, too, caused frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.H2748H6213H3909H5927H6854H776H47148Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and begged, "Plead with the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. I will let your people go, so they can offer sacrifices to the LORD."H6547H7121H4872H175H559H6279H3068H5493H6854H5971H5971H7971H2076H30689"You set the time!" Moses replied. "Tell me when you want me to pray for you, your officials, and your people. Then you and your houses will be rid of the frogs. They will remain only in the Nile River."H4872H559H6547H6286H4970H6279H5650H5971H3772H6854H1004H7604H297510"Do it tomorrow," Pharaoh said. "All right," Moses replied, "it will be as you have said. Then you will know that there is no one like the LORD our God.H559H4279H559H1697H3045H3068H43011The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials, and your people. They will remain only in the Nile River."H6854H5493H1004H5650H5971H7604H297512So Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh's palace, and Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs he had inflicted on Pharaoh.H4872H175H3318H6547H4872H6817H3068H1697H6854H7760H654713And the LORD did just what Moses had predicted. The frogs in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields all died.H3068H6213H1697H4872H6854H4191H1004H2691H770414The Egyptians piled them into great heaps, and a terrible stench filled the land.H6651H2563H776H88715But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn

. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted.H6547H7200H7309H3513H3820H8085H3068H1696

A Plague of Gnats

16So the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Raise your staff and strike the ground. The dust will turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.'"H3068H559H4872H559H175H5186H4294H5221H6083H776H3654H776H471417So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. When Aaron raised his hand and struck the ground with his staff, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats.H6213H175H5186H3027H4294H5221H6083H776H3654H120H929H6083H776H3654H776H471418Pharaoh's magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered everyone, people and animals alike.H2748H6213H3909H3318H3654H3201H3654H120H92919"This is the finger of God!" the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh's heart remained hard. He wouldn't listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted.H2748H559H6547H676H430H6547H3820H2388H8085H3068H1696

A Plague of Flies

20Then the LORD told Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand in Pharaoh's way as he goes down to the river. Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.H3068H559H4872H7925H1242H3320H6440H6547H3318H4325H559H559H3068H5971H7971H564721If you refuse, then I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, your people, and all the houses. The Egyptian homes will be filled with flies, and the ground will be covered with them.H5971H7971H7971H6157H5650H5971H1004H1004H4714H4390H6157H12722But this time I will spare the region of Goshen, where my people live. No flies will be found there. Then you will know that I am the LORD and that I am present even in the heart of your land.H6395H3117H776H1657H5971H5975H1115H6157H1961H4616H3045H3068H7130H77623I will make a clear distinction between

my people and your people. This miraculous sign will happen tomorrow.'"H7760H6304H5971H5971H4279H22624And the LORD did just as he had said. A thick swarm of flies filled Pharaoh's palace and the houses of his officials. The whole land of Egypt was thrown into chaos by the flies.H3068H6213H935H3515H6157H1004H6547H5650H1004H776H4714H776H7843H6440H615725Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. "All right! Go ahead and offer sacrifices to your God," he said. "But do it here in this land."H6547H7121H413H4872H175H559H3212H2076H430H77626But Moses replied, "That wouldn't be right. The Egyptians detest the sacrifices that we offer to the LORD our God. Look, if we offer our sacrifices here where the Egyptians can see us, they will stone us.H4872H559H3559H6213H2005H2076H8441H4714H3068H430H2076H8441H4714H5869H561927We must take a three-day trip into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, just as he has commanded us."H3212H7969H3117H1870H4057H2076H3068H430H55928"All right, go ahead," Pharaoh replied. "I will let you go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God. But don't go too far away. Now hurry and pray for me."H6547H559H7971H2076H3068H430H4057H3212H7368H7368H6279H115729Moses answered, "As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the LORD, and tomorrow the swarms of flies will disappear from you and your officials and all your people. But I am warning you, Pharaoh, don't lie to us again and refuse to let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD."H4872H559H3318H6279H3068H6157H5493H6547H5650H5971H4279H7535H6547H2048H3254H1115H5971H7971H2076H306830So Moses left Pharaoh's palace and pleaded with the LORD to remove all the flies.H4872H3318H6547H6279H306831And the LORD did as Moses asked and caused the swarms of flies to disappear from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. Not a single fly remained.H3068H6213H1697H4872H5493H6157H6547H5650H5971H7604H25932But Pharaoh again became stubborn and refused to let the people go.H6547H3513H3820H6471H5971H7971

Exodus 9

A Plague against Livestock

9"Go back to Pharaoh," the LORD commanded Moses. "Tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.H3068H559H4872H935H6547H1696H559H3068H430H5680H5971H7971H56472If you continue to hold them and refuse to let them go,H3986H7971H23883the hand of the LORD will strike all your livestock—your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—with a deadly plague.H3027H3068H1961H4735H7704H5483H2543H1581H1241H6629H3966H3515H16984But the LORD will again make a distinction between the livestock of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. Not a single one of Israel's animals will die!H3068H6395H4735H3478H4735H4714H1697H4191H1121H34785The LORD has already set the time for the plague to begin. He has declared that he will strike the land tomorrow.'"H3068H7760H4150H559H4279H3068H6213H1697H7766And the LORD did just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but the Israelites didn't lose a single animal.H3068H6213H1697H4283H4735H4714H4191H4735H1121H3478H4191H2597Pharaoh sent his officials to investigate, and they discovered that the Israelites had not lost a single animal! But even so, Pharaoh's heart remained stubborn

, and he still refused to let the people go.H6547H7971H259H4735H3478H4191H3820H6547H3513H5971H7971

A Plague of Festering Boils

8Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a brick kiln, and have Moses toss it into the air while Pharaoh watches.H3068H559H4872H175H3947H2651H4393H6368H3536H4872H2236H8064H5869H65479The 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."H80H776H4714H7822H6524H76H120H929H776H471410So 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.H3947H6368H3536H5975H6440H6547H4872H2236H8064H7822H6524H76H120H92911Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and all the Egyptians.H2748H3201H5975H6440H4872H6440H7822H7822H2748H471412But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and just as the LORD had predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.H3068H2388H3820H6547H8085H3068H1696H4872

A Plague of Hail

13Then 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.H3068H559H4872H7925H1242H3320H6440H6547H559H559H3068H430H5680H5971H7971H564714If 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.H6471H7971H4046H3820H5650H5971H3045H77615By 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.H7971H3027H5221H5971H1698H3582H77616But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power

and to spread my fame throughout the earth.H199H5668H5975H7200H3581H8034H5608H77617But you still lord it over my people and refuse to let them go.H5549H5971H797118So tomorrow at this time I will send a hailstorm more devastating than any in all the history of Egypt.H4279H6256H4305H3966H3515H1259H3644H4714H4480H3117H324519Quick! 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.'"H7971H5756H4735H7704H120H929H4672H7704H622H1004H1259H3381H419120Some of Pharaoh's officials were afraid because of what the LORD had said. They quickly brought their servants and livestock in from the fields.H3373H1697H3068H5650H6547H5650H4735H5127H100421But those who paid no attention to the word of the LORD left theirs out in the open.H7760H3820H1697H3068H5800H5650H4735H770422Then 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."H3068H559H4872H5186H3027H8064H1259H776H4714H120H929H6212H7704H776H471423So 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.H4872H5186H4294H8064H3068H5414H6963H1259H784H1980H776H3068H4305H1259H776H471424Never in all the history of Egypt had there been a storm like that, with such devastating hail and continuous lightning.H1259H784H3947H8432H1259H3966H3515H3808H776H4714H147125It 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.H1259H5221H776H4714H7704H120H929H1259H5221H6212H7704H7665H6086H770426The only place without hail was the region of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived.H776H1657H1121H3478H125927Then 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.H6547H7971H7121H4872H175H559H2398H6471H3068H6662H5971H756328Please 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."H6279H3068H7227H430H6963H1259H7971H5975H325429"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.H4872H559H3318H5892H6566H3709H3068H6963H2308H1259H3045H776H306830But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God."H5650H3045H3372H6440H3068H43031(All the flax and barley were ruined by the hail, because the barley had formed heads and the flax was budding.H6594H8184H5221H8184H24H6594H139232But the wheat and the emmer wheat were spared, because they had not yet sprouted from the ground.)H2406H3698H5221H2007H64833So 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.H4872H3318H5892H6547H6566H3709H3068H6963H1259H2308H4306H5413H77634But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn

.H6547H7200H4306H1259H6963H2308H2398H3254H3513H3820H565035Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the LORD had predicted through Moses.H3820H6547H2388H1121H3478H7971H3068H1696H3027H4872

Psalms 19

19[For the choir director: A psalm of David.] The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.H5329H4210H1732H8064H5608H3519H410H7549H5046H4639H30272Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.H3117H3117H5042H562H3915H3915H2331H18473They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard

.H562H1697H6963H80854Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.H6957H3318H776H4405H7097H8398H7760H168H81215It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.H2860H3318H2646H7797H1368H7323H7346The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.H4161H7097H8064H8622H7098H5641H25357The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.H8451H3068H8549H7725H5315H5715H3068H539H2449H66128The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.H6490H3068H3477H8055H3820H4687H3068H1249H215H58699Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair.H3374H3068H2889H5975H5703H4941H3068H571H6663H316210They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.H2530H2091H7227H6337H4966H1706H5317H668811They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.H5650H2094H8104H7227H611812How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.H995H7691H5352H564113Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.H2820H5650H2086H4910H8552H5352H7227H658814May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.H561H6310H1902H3820H7522H6440H3068H6697H1350