1. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. I have made him and his officials stubborn so that I can do these miraculous signs among them.
2. You will be able to tell your children and grandchildren exactly how I treated the Egyptians and what miraculous signs I did among them. This is how you will all know that I am the Lord.”
3. So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord God of the Hebrews says: How long will you refuse to humble yourself in my presence? Let my people go to worship me.
4. If you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country.
5. They will cover the land so that the ground can’t be seen. They will eat everything left by the hail, including every tree still standing in the fields.
6. They will fill your houses and the houses of all your officials and those of all the Egyptians. Your parents and ancestors never saw anything like this from the time they first came here until now.” Moses turned and left Pharaoh.
7. Then Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long will this man hold us in his grip? Let the Israelite men go to worship the Lord their God. When will you realize that Egypt is ruined?”
8. So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship the Lord your God,” he said to them. “But exactly who will be going?”
9. Moses answered, “Everyone! We’ll be taking our young and old, our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds with us. For us it’s a pilgrimage festival in the Lord’s honor.”
10. Pharaoh said to them, “The Lord would have to be with you if I would ever let you take your women and children along. I know you’re up to no good!
11. No! Only the men may go to worship the Lord, since that’s what you’ve been asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron were thrown out of Pharaoh’s palace.