Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him that the Lord says, 'Let my people go so they can serve me.'"

If you refuse to let them go, I will bring a plague of frogs upon all your borders. The rivers will overflow with frogs, which will invade your homes, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading troughs. They will be everywhere – on you, your people, and all your servants.

The Lord instructed Moses, saying, "Tell Aaron to stretch out his rod over the rivers, streams, and pools, and let the frogs rise up onto the land of Egypt." Aaron did as he was told, and the waters of Egypt became infested with frogs. They covered the entire land, leaving no place untouched.

The magicians tried to match the Lord's miracle by bringing forth their own frogs, but they were powerless against the plague. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, begging them to ask the Lord to remove the frogs from him and his people in exchange for permission to let the Israelites go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.

Moses agreed to this proposal and asked Pharaoh when he would grant the request. "Tomorrow," Pharaoh replied. The frogs would leave the land except for those remaining in the Nile River. Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh's presence, but not before Moses cried out to the Lord about the plague of frogs that had been brought upon Pharaoh.

The next day, the Lord did as Moses asked, and the frogs died in every house, village, and field. The Israelites gathered them together, creating massive heaps that filled the air with a foul odor. However, when Pharaoh saw that there was some respite from the plague, he hardened his heart once again and refused to listen to Moses' pleas.

The Lord told Moses to instruct Aaron to strike the dust of the land with his rod. Aaron did so, and a swarm of lice infested both people and animals across Egypt. The magicians attempted to replicate this miracle through their magical arts but were unable to do so, as lice covered everyone in sight.

The magicians acknowledged that this was indeed a sign from God, but Pharaoh's heart remained hardened. He refused to listen to them or Moses, doing exactly what the Lord had foretold.

Moses was instructed by the Lord to stand before Pharaoh once more and demand that he let the Israelites go so they could serve him. If Pharaoh refused, the Lord would send swarms of flies into every home in Egypt, making the land uninhabitable because of their sheer numbers.

The Lord set apart the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, as a sanctuary from this plague. The next day, the house of Pharaoh and all his people were infested with flies, which spread throughout the land, corrupting everything in their path.

Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, offering to let them sacrifice to their God in the land if they would only leave Egypt immediately. However, Moses refused this offer, fearing that Pharaoh's true intention was to keep the Israelites close by so he could still exert control over them.

Moses proposed a compromise: they would go three days' journey into the wilderness and worship the Lord as He commanded. If Pharaoh agreed, Moses would intercede with the Lord on his behalf. However, if Pharaoh's intentions were deceitful, Moses warned that the Israelites would be able to leave Egypt only when the Lord allowed it.

Pharaoh ultimately agreed to let the Israelites go into the wilderness to worship but insisted they stay close by and continue to work for him. Moses left Pharaoh's presence and interceded with the Lord on his behalf, asking Him to remove the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, his servants, and his people.

The Lord answered Moses' prayer, and the swarms of flies vanished from Egypt, leaving not a single fly behind. Nevertheless, Pharaoh hardened his heart once again and refused to let the Israelites leave, just as the Lord had foretold.