Locusts
1 The Lord said to Moses:
Go back to the king. I have made him and his officials stubborn, so that I could work these miracles. 2 I did this because I want you to tell your children and your grandchildren about my miracles and about my harsh treatment of the Egyptians. Then all of you will know that I am the Lord.
3 Moses and Aaron went to the king and told him that the Lord God of the Hebrews had said:
How long will you stubbornly refuse to obey? Release my people so they can worship me. 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 the 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 honor 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 toward 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 14 were swarming everywhere. Never before had there been so many locusts in Egypt, and never again will there be so many. 15 The ground was black with locusts, and they ate everything left on the trees and in the fields. Nothing green remained in Egypt—not a tree or a plant.
16 At once the king sent for Moses and Aaron. He told them, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Forgive me one more time and ask the Lord to stop these insects from killing every living plant.”
18 Moses left the palace and prayed. 19 Then the Lord sent a strong west wind that swept the locusts into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left anywhere in Egypt, 20 but the Lord made the king so stubborn that he still refused to let the Israelites go.
Darkness
21 The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch your arm toward the sky, and everything will be covered with darkness thick enough to touch.” 22 Moses stretched his arm toward the sky, and Egypt was covered with darkness for three days. 23 During that time, the Egyptians could not see each other or leave their homes, but there was light where the Israelites lived.
24 The king sent for Moses and told him, “Go worship the Lord! And take your families with you. Just leave your sheep, goats, and cattle.”
25 “No!” Moses replied. “You must let us offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, 26 and we won't know which animals we will need until we get there. That's why we can't leave even one of them here.”
27 This time the Lord made the king so stubborn 28 that he said to Moses, “Get out and stay out! If you ever come back, you're dead!”
29 “Have it your way,” Moses answered. “You won't see me again.”
Astotā mocība: siseņi
(Jl 1:2–4)1 Kungs teica Mozum: “Ej pie faraona, jo es esmu nocietinājis viņa un viņa kalpu sirdis, lai darītu pie tiem savas zīmes, 2 lai tu varētu stāstīt savam dēlam un dēla dēlam, ko esmu darījis Ēģiptei, par manām zīmēm, ko es pie tiem esmu darījis, – lai jūs zinātu, ka es esmu Kungs!” 3 Mozus un Ārons gāja pie faraona, un viņi tam teica: “Tā saka Kungs, ebreju Dievs: cik ilgi tu liegsies man atbildēt?! Atlaid manu tautu, lai tā man kalpo! 4 Ja tu liegsies laist manu tautu, tad, redzi, rīt tavām robežām es uzsūtīšu siseņus! 5 Tie apklās zemes plakstus, ka nevarēs redzēt, tie rīs visu, kas jums pēc krusas vēl palicis, un aprīs visus kokus, kas jums aug uz lauka. 6 Tie piepildīs tavu namu, visu tavu kalpu namus un visas Ēģiptes namus – neko tādu nav redzējuši ne jūsu tēvi, ne jūsu tēvutēvi, kopš dienas, kad tie radās virs zemes, līdz šai dienai!” Un viņš pagriezās un aizgāja no faraona. 7 Un faraona kalpi tam teica: “Cik ilgi šis vīrs būs mums par nelaimi?! Laid tos ļaudis, lai viņi kalpo Kungam, savam Dievam! Vai tu gribi sagaidīt, ka Ēģipte aiziet bojā?” 8 Tad Mozu un Āronu atkal aicināja pie faraona, un viņš tiem teica: “Ejiet, kalpojiet Kungam, savam Dievam! Kuri tad būs tie gājēji?” 9 Mozus teica: “Mēs iesim kopā ar mūsu zēniem un mūsu vecajiem, mēs iesim kopā ar dēliem, meitām, mēs iesim kopā ar mūsu avīm un vēršiem, jo mums ir svētki Kungam!” 10 Un viņš tiem teica: “Lai Kungs ar jums! Nelaidīšu jūs un jūsu mazos! Pieraugiet! Ļaunu jūs esat sadomājuši! 11 Tā ne! Lai iet tikai vīri un kalpo Kungam, jo to jūs gribējāt!” Un viņš aizdzina tos projām.
12 Un Kungs teica Mozum: “Izstiep savu roku pār Ēģiptes zemi, lai pār Ēģiptes zemi nāk siseņi un aprij ik lauka zāli – visu, kas palicis pāri pēc krusas!” 13 Mozus izstiepa savu spieķi pār Ēģiptes zemi – tad Kungs dzina pār zemi austrumu vēju visu dienu un visu nakti. Pienāca rīts, un austrumu vējš atnesa siseņus. 14 Siseņi nāca pār visu Ēģiptes zemi un apsēda pilnīgi visas Ēģiptes robežas – pirms tiem vēl nebija bijis tādu siseņu kā šie, un arī pēc tiem tādu vairs nebija. 15 Tie apklāja zemes virsu, zeme satumsa, un tie aprija ik lauka zāli un visus koku augļus, kas bija atlikuši pēc krusas. Visā Ēģiptes zemē nepalika ne zaļuma kokā, ne zāles uz lauka. 16 Tad faraons steidza saukt Mozu un Āronu un sacīja: “Es esmu grēkojis pret Kungu, jūsu Dievu, un pret jums! 17 Un nu – vēl tikai šoreiz piedodiet manu grēku, izlūdzieties Kungam, jūsu Dievam, lai noņem no manis šo nāvi!” 18 Un viņš aizgāja no faraona un pielūdza Kungu. 19 Tad Kungs iegrieza jo stipru jūras vēju, un tas pacēla siseņus un ietrieca tos Niedru jūrā. Visās Ēģiptes robežās nepalika neviena siseņa. 20 Bet Kungs nocietināja faraona sirdi, un viņš neatlaida Israēla dēlus.
Devītā mocība: tumsa
21 Un Kungs teica Mozum: “Izstiep savu roku uz debesīm, lai nāk pār Ēģiptes zemi tumsa, tāda tumsa, ka var sataustīt!” 22 Mozus izstiepa savu roku uz debesīm, un melna tumsa bija visā Ēģiptes zemē trīs dienas. 23 Tad viens otru nevarēja redzēt, trīs dienas neviens nekustēja no vietas, bet tur, kur dzīvoja Israēla dēli, bija gaisma. 24 Tad faraons sauca Mozu un teica: “Ejiet, kalpojiet Kungam, tikai jūsu avis un vērši lai paliek, – arī jūsu mazie var iet kopā ar jums!” 25 Bet Mozus teica: “Tu dosi mums arī lopus upuriem un sadedzināmajiem upuriem, ko mums upurēt Kungam, savam Dievam. 26 Arī mūsu ganāmpulki ies kopā ar mums, nepaliks ne naga, jo no tiem mēs ņemsim, lai kalpotu Kungam, mūsu Dievam, jo mēs nezinām, kā mums Kungam būs jākalpo, iekams būsim tur nonākuši!” 27 Bet Kungs nocietināja faraona sirdi, un viņš negribēja tos laist. 28 Un faraons viņam teica: “Ej prom no manis! Piesargies, lai es tevi vairs neredzētu, jo tajā dienā, kad tu mani redzēsi, tu mirsi!” 29 Un Mozus teica: “Kā tu saki – man tevi vairs nebūs jāredz!”
