Shemot 10

[BO]

1. And Hashem said unto Moshe, Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his lev, and the lev of his avadim, that I might show these My otot before him;

2. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy ben, and of thy ben’s ben, what things I have wrought in Mitzrayim, and My otot which I have done among them; that ye may have da’as that I am Hashem.

3. And Moshe and Aharon came in unto Pharaoh,and said unto him, Thus saith Hashem Elohei HaIvrim, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

4. Else, if thou refuse to let My people go, hineni, tomorrow will I bring the arbeh into thy border;

5. And they shall cover the face of ha’aretz, that one cannot be able to see ha’aretz; and they shall devour the remnant of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the barad, and shall eat kol haetz which groweth for you out of the sadeh;

6. And they shall fill thy batim (houses), and the batim (houses) of all thy avadim, and the batim (houses) of kol Mitzrayim; which neither thy avot, nor the avot of thy avot have seen, since the day that they were upon ha’aretz unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.

7. And Pharaoh’s avadim said unto him, How long shall this man be a mokesh (snare) unto us? Let the anashim go, that they may serve Hashem Eloheihem; knowest thou not yet that Mitzrayim is destroyed?

8. And Moshe and Aharon were brought again unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them, Go, serve Hashem Eloheichem; but who are they that shall go?

9. And Moshe said, We will go with ne’areinu and with zekeinu, with baneinu and with benoteinu, with tzoneinu and with bekareinu (our herds) will we go; for Chag Hashem lanu.

10. And he said unto them, Hashem will indeed be with you, if ever I let you go, and your little ones; look to it, evil [intent] is before you.

11. Not so; go now ye that are gevarim, and serve Hashem; for that ye did request. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

12. And Hashem said unto Moshe, Stretch out thine yad over Eretz Mitzrayim for the arbeh, that they may come up upon Eretz Mitzrayim, and devour kol esev ha’aretz, even all that the barad hath left as remnant.

13. And Moshe stretched forth his matteh over Eretz Mitzrayim, and Hashem brought a ruach kadim upon the land all that yom, and all that lailah; and when it was boker, the ruach hakadim brought the arbeh.

14. And the arbeh went up over kol Eretz Mitzrayim, and rested on the entire border of Mitzrayim: very grievous were they; before them there were no such arbeh as they, neither after them shall be such.

15. For they covered the kol ha’aretz, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat kol esev ha’aretz, and kol p’ri haetz which the barad had left as remnant; and there remained not any yerek baetz, or in the esev hasadeh, through kol Eretz Mitzrayim.

16. Then Pharaoh called for Moshe and Aharon in haste; and he said, chatati (I have sinned) against Hashem Eloheichem, and against you.

17. Therefore forgive, now, my sin only this once, and entreat Hashem Eloheichem, that He would only take away from me this mavet.

18. And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated Hashem.

19. And Hashem turned a west ruach chazak me’od, which took away the arbeh, and cast them into the Yam Suf; there remained not one arbeh in all the borders of Mitzrayim.

20. But Hashem hardened lev Pharaoh, so that he would not let the Bnei Yisroel go.

21. And Hashem said unto Moshe, Stretch out thine yad toward Shomayim, that there may be choshech over Eretz Mitzrayim, even choshech which he can feel.

22. And Moshe stretched forth his yad toward Shomayim; and there was a thick choshech in kol Eretz Mitzrayim shloshet yamim;

23. They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for shloshet yamim; but kol Bnei Yisroel had Ohr in their dwellings.

24. And Pharaoh called unto Moshe, and said, Go ye, serve Hashem; only let your tzon and your herds remain behind; let your little ones also go with you.

25. And Moshe said, Thou must give us also zevakhim and olot, that we may sacrifice unto Hashem Eloheinu.

26. Also mikneinu shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve Hashem Eloheinu; and we know not with what we must serve Hashem, until we come to there.

27. But Hashem hardened lev Pharaoh, and he would not let them go.

28. And 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.

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