17. They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18. The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal.
19. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is God’s finger;” but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as the Lord had spoken.
20. The Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes out to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
21. Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on.
22. I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am the Lord on the earth.
23. I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.”’”
24. The Lord did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.
25. Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!”
26. Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, won’t they stone us?
27. We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us.”
28. Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”
29. Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you. I will pray to the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”