4. Do this by tomorrow, or I will cover your country with so many locusts
5. that you won't be able to see the ground. Most of your crops were ruined by the hailstones, but these locusts will destroy what little is left, including the trees.
6. Your palace, the homes of your officials, and all other houses in Egypt will overflow with more locusts than have ever been seen in this country.After Moses left the palace,
7. the king's officials asked, “Your Majesty, how much longer is this man going to be a troublemaker? Why don't you let the people leave, so they can worship the Lord their God? Don't you know that Egypt is a disaster?”
8. The king had Moses and Aaron brought back, and he said, “All right, you may go and worship the Lord your God. But first tell me who will be going.”
9. “Everyone, young and old,” Moses answered. “We will even take our sheep, goats, and cattle, because we want to hold a celebration in honour of the Lord.”
10. The king replied, “The Lord had better watch over you on the day I let you leave with your families! You're up to no good.
11. Do you want to worship the Lord? All right, take only the men and go.” Then Moses and Aaron were chased out of the palace.
12. The Lord told Moses, “Stretch your arm towards Egypt. Swarms of locusts will come and eat everything left by the hail.”
13. Moses held out his walking stick, and the Lord sent an east wind that blew across Egypt the rest of the day and all that night. By morning, locusts