Exodus

And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:

1The LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. I have made his heart stubborn, and his helpers' hearts too. I did this so I could show them my wonders."

2And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.

2"Then you can tell your children and grandchildren what I did in Egypt. Tell them about the wonders I did there. Then you will all know that I am the LORD."

3And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said, "The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says this. How long will you refuse to bow low before me? Let my people go, so they can worship me."

4Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:

4"If you say no again, tomorrow I will send locusts into your land. Locusts are big hopping bugs that eat up every plant."

NoteThe KJV says "thy coast." That does not mean the seashore. It means all the land Pharaoh ruled.

5And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:

5"They will cover the ground so no one can see it. They will eat whatever the hail left behind. They will eat every tree growing in your fields."

6And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.

6"They will fill your house, your helpers' houses, and every house in Egypt. No one has ever seen so many, not your fathers or grandfathers." Then Moses turned and walked out.

7And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

7Pharaoh's helpers said to him, "How long will this man bring us trouble? Let the people go and worship the LORD their God. Can't you see that Egypt is ruined?"

8And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?

8So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. He said, "Go, worship the LORD your God. But who exactly is going?"

9And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.

9Moses said, "We will all go. Our young people and our old people. Our sons and daughters, our sheep and our cattle. We are holding a feast to worship the LORD."

10And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.

10Pharaoh said, "You would need the LORD's help before I let your little ones go! I can see you are planning something bad."

NotePharaoh is not really wishing them well here. He is making fun of them. He means he will never let the children go.

11Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

11"No. Only the men may go and worship the LORD. That is what you asked for." Then Moses and Aaron were pushed out of the room.

12And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.

12The LORD said to Moses, "Reach your hand out over the land of Egypt. Then locusts will come and eat every plant the hail left."

13And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

13Moses held his walking stick out over Egypt. The LORD sent a wind from the east all day and all night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts.

14And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

14The locusts came over all of Egypt and landed everywhere. There had never been so many locusts before. There never will be again.

15For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

15They covered the ground until the land looked dark. They ate every plant and all the fruit the hail had left. Not one green thing was left in all Egypt.

16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.

16Pharaoh quickly called for Moses and Aaron. He said, "I have done wrong against the LORD your God, and against you."

17Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

17"Please forgive me just this one more time. Ask the LORD your God to take this deadly trouble away from me."

18And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.

18So Moses left Pharaoh and asked the LORD.

19And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

19The LORD turned the wind around. A strong west wind blew the locusts into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left in Egypt.

20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

20But the LORD made Pharaoh's heart stubborn again. He would not let the people of Israel go.

21And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

21The LORD said to Moses, "Reach your hand up toward the sky. Then darkness will cover Egypt, a darkness so thick you can feel it."

22And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

22Moses reached his hand toward the sky. Thick darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days.

23They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

23No one could see anyone else. No one got up and moved for three days. But the people of Israel had light where they lived.

24And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.

24Pharaoh called for Moses. He said, "Go, worship the LORD. Take your little ones with you too. Just leave your sheep and cattle here."

25And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

25Moses said, "You must also give us animals for our gifts to God. We need them to worship the LORD our God."

NoteA "burnt offering" was an animal given to God and burned on a special table called an altar. Moses is asking Pharaoh to hand over animals for this.

26Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.

26"Our animals must come with us. Not one hoof will stay behind. We need them to worship the LORD our God. We will not know which ones to use until we get there."

27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.

27But the LORD made Pharaoh's heart stubborn. He would not let them go.

28And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

28Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get away from me! Be careful. Never come see me again. The day you see my face, you will die."

29And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

29Moses said, "You are right. I will never see your face again."