Moses and Aaron went to ask the king of Egypt, in the name of the Lord, to let the Israelites go to sacrifice in the desert.Moses and Aaron went to ask the king of Egypt, in the name of the Lord, to let the Israelites go to sacrifice in the desert.
The king answered, "Who is the Lord, that I should hear His voice? I do not know Him. I will not let the Israelites go." Then he ordered his servants to give the Israelites more work, so that they might not have time to think of offering sacrifices.
"Let them make the same number of bricks they have been making." he said, "but let them find their own straw. Do not give them any straw for the bricks."
When the Israelites were given harder work, they blamed Moses and Aaron for their troubles. Moses said to God, "Why do You allow the people to suffer so much? Since I came, the king has treated them more harshly than before. Why have You sent me?"
God answered Moses, "You shall see what I shall do to the king. Go to the Israelites and tell them that I shall free them from their slavery." But the Israelites would no longer listen to Moses.
Moses and Aaron again went to the king. They asked him to let the Israelites go. To prove that they came at God's command. Aaron cast his rod down before the king. Immediately it became a serpent.
The king called his magicians. The magicians cast their rods down. and their rods turned into serpents also. But Aaron's rod ate up all the other rods. Nevertheless the king refused to let the Israelites go.
And so God punished the land of Egypt. Every time that the king refused the request of Moses, God sent the Egyptians a new affliction. In all He sent ten plagues.
First, the water in the river turned to blood. Second, frogs in great numbers filled the land. Third, the dust was changed into small insects so numerous that they covered everything. Fourth, came a pest of flies. Fifth, an epidemic killed all the cattle. Sixth, boils broke out on man and beast. Seventh, hail and lightning fell. Eighth. locusts ate up what the hail had left. Ninth, darkness covered Egypt.
Still the king refused to let the Children of Israel go. So God sent the tenth plague.
- from My Bible History in Pictures, by Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow, D.D., 1934; it has the Imprimatur of Archbishop Michael J O'Doherty of Manila, Philippines