YHWHיְהוָהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלMoses,מֹשֶׁה“GoבֹּאtoאֶלPharaoh,פַּרְעֹהforכִּיIאֲנִיhave madeהִכְבַּדְתִּיhis heartאֶת לִבּוֹand the heartוְאֶת לֵבof his servantsעֲבָדָיוinsensitive,הִכְבַּדְתִּיin order toלְמַעַןputשִׁתִיtheseאֵלֶּהsigns of mineאֹתֹתַיin their midst,בְּקִרְבּוֹ
and so thatוּלְמַעַןyou may tellתְּסַפֵּרin the earsבְּאָזְנֵיof your sonבִנְךָand of the sonוּבֶןof your sonבִּנְךָhowאֵת אֲשֶׁרI dealt harshlyהִתְעַלַּלְתִּיwith the Egyptians,בְּמִצְרַיִםand my signsוְאֶת אֹתֹתַיthatאֲשֶׁרI didשַׂמְתִּיamong them,בָםand you will knowוִידַעְתֶּםthatכִּיIאֲנִיam YHWH.”יְהוָה
So Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהand AaronוְאַהֲרֹןwentיָּבֹאtoאֶלPharaohפַּרְעֹהand saidוַיֹּאמְרוּto him,אֵלָיו“ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH,יְהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof the Hebrews:הָעִבְרִים‘How longעַד מָתַיwill you refuseמֵאַנְתָּto humble yourselfלֵעָנֹתbefore me?מִפָּנָיLetשַׁלַּחmy peopleעַמִּיgo,שַׁלַּחthat they may serve me.וְיַעַבְדֻנִי
Forכִּיifאִםyouאַתָּהrefuseמָאֵןto letלְשַׁלֵּחַmy peopleאֶת עַמִּיgo,שַׁלֵּחַlook,הִנְנִיtomorrowמָחָרI am bringingמֵבִיאlocustsאַרְבֶּהinto your territory.בִּגְבֻלֶךָ
They will coverוְכִסָּהthe surfaceאֶת עֵיןof the land,הָאָרֶץso that no oneוְלֹאwill be ableיוּכַלto seeלִרְאֹתthe land;אֶת הָאָרֶץand they will eatוְאָכַלwhat is leftאֶת יֶתֶרof what escaped,הַפְּלֵטָהwhat remainsהַנִּשְׁאֶרֶתto youלָכֶםfromמִןthe hail,הַבָּרָדand they will eatוְאָכַלeveryאֶת כָּלtreeהָעֵץthat growsהַצֹּמֵחַfor youלָכֶםinמִןthe field.הַשָּׂדֶה
They will fillוּמָלְאוּyour housesבָתֶּיךָand the housesוּבָתֵּיof allכָלyour servantsעֲבָדֶיךָand the housesוּבָתֵּיof allכָלthe Egyptians,מִצְרַיִםsuch asאֲשֶׁרyour fathersאֲבֹתֶיךָand your fathers’וַ אֲבֹתֶיךָfathersאֲבוֹתhave notלֹאseen,רָאוּfrom the dayמִיּוֹםthey came to beהֱיוֹתָםonעַלthe earthהָאֲדָמָהuntilעַדthisהַזֶּהday.’”הַיּוֹםThen he turnedוַיִּפֶןand went outוַיֵּצֵאfromמֵעִםPharaoh.פַּרְעֹה
Pharaoh’sפַרְעֹהservantsעַבְדֵיsaidוַיֹּאמְרוּto him,אֵלָיו“How longעַד מָתַיwill this manיִהְיֶה זֶהbeיִהְיֶהa snareלְמוֹקֵשׁto us?לָנוּLetשַׁלַּחthe menאֶת הָאֲנָשִׁיםgo,שַׁלַּחthat they may serveוְיַעַבְדוּYHWHאֶת יְהוָהtheir Elohim.אֱלֹהֵיהֶםDo you not yetהֲטֶרֶםknowתֵּדַעthatכִּיEgyptמִצְרָיִםis ruined?”אָבְדָה
So Mosesוַ אֶת מֹשֶׁהand Aaronוְאֶת אַהֲרֹןwere brought backיּוּשַׁבtoאֶלPharaoh,פַּרְעֹהand he saidוַיֹּאמֶרto them,אֲלֵהֶם“Go,לְכוּserveעִבְדוּYHWHאֶת יְהוָהyour Elohim.אֱלֹהֵיכֶםWhoמִיand whoוָמִיare the ones going?”הַהֹלְכִים
Mosesמֹשֶׁהsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“With our youngבִּנְעָרֵינוּand with our oldוּבִזְקֵנֵינוּwe will go;נֵלֵךְwith our sonsבְּבָנֵינוּand with our daughters,וּבִבְנוֹתֵנוּwith our flocksבְּצֹאנֵנוּand with our herdsוּבִבְקָרֵנוּwe will go,נֵלֵךְforכִּיwe have a feastחַג לָנוּof YHWH.”יְהוָה
He saidוַיֹּאמֶרto them,אֲלֵהֶם“So mayיְהִי כֵןYHWHיְהוָהbe with you,עִמָּכֶםasכַּאֲשֶׁרI letאֲשַׁלַּחyouאֶתְכֶםand your little onesוְאֶת טַפְּכֶםgo!אֲשַׁלַּחLook,רְאוּ כִּיyou haveכֶםevilרָעָהin view.נֶגֶד פְּנֵי
Notלֹאso!כֵןGo,לְכוּ נָאyouאַתֶּםmen,הַגְּבָרִיםand serveוְעִבְדוּYHWH,אֶת יְהוָהforכִּיthatאֹתָהּis what you are asking for.”מְבַקְשִׁיםAnd they were driven outוַיְגָרֶשׁ אֹתָםfromמֵאֵתPharaoh’s presence.פְּנֵי פַרְעֹה
YHWHיְהוָהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלMoses,מֹשֶׁה“Stretch outנְטֵהyour handיָדְךָoverעַלthe landאֶרֶץof Egyptמִצְרַיִםfor the locusts,בָּאַרְבֶּהthat they may come upוְיַעַלonעַלthe landאֶרֶץof Egyptמִצְרָיִםand eatוְיֹאכַלeveryאֶת כָּלplantעֵשֶׂבof the land,הָאָרֶץallאֵת כָּלthatאֲשֶׁרthe hailהַבָּרָדhas left.”הִשְׁאִיר
So Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהstretched outיֵּטhis staffאֶת מַטֵּהוּoverעַלthe landאֶרֶץof Egypt,מִצְרַיִםand YHWHוַיהוָהdroveנִהַגan eastקָדִיםwindרוּחַover the landבָּאָרֶץallכָּלthatהַהוּאdayהַיּוֹםand allוְכָלthe night;הַלָּיְלָהwhen it wasהָיָהmorning,הַבֹּקֶרthe eastהַקָּדִיםwindוְרוּחַhad broughtנָשָׂאthe locusts.אֶת הָאַרְבֶּה
The locustsהָאַרְבֶּהcame upוַיַּעַלoverעַלallכָּלthe landאֶרֶץof Egyptמִצְרַיִםand settledוַיָּנַחin allבְּכֹלthe territoryגְּבוּלof Egypt,מִצְרָיִםveryמְאֹדheavy;כָּבֵדbefore themלְפָנָיוthere had neverלֹאbeenהָיָהsuchכֵןlocustsאַרְבֶּהas these,כָּמֹהוּnorלֹאwill there beיִהְיֶהsuchכֵּןafter them.וְאַחֲרָיו
They coveredוַיְכַסthe surfaceאֶת עֵיןof allכָּלthe land,הָאָרֶץso that the landוַ הָאָרֶץwas darkened,תֶּחְשַׁךְand they ateוַיֹּאכַלeveryאֶת כָּלplantעֵשֶׂבof the landהָאָרֶץand allוְאֵת כָּלthe fruitפְּרִיof the treesהָעֵץthatאֲשֶׁרthe hailהַבָּרָדhad left;הוֹתִירand nothingוְלֹא כָּלgreenיֶרֶקremained,נוֹתַרneither on the treesבָּעֵץnor in the plantsוּבְעֵשֶׂבof the field,הַשָּׂדֶהin allבְּכָלthe landאֶרֶץof Egypt.מִצְרָיִם
Pharaohפַּרְעֹהhurriedוַיְמַהֵרto callלִקְרֹאMosesלְמֹשֶׁהand Aaronוּלְאַהֲרֹןand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“I have sinnedחָטָאתִיagainst YHWHלַיהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֵיכֶםand against you.וְלָכֶם
So now,וְעַתָּהpleaseנָאforgiveשָׂאmy sinחַטָּאתִיonlyאַךְthis time,הַפַּעַםand prayוְהַעְתִּירוּto YHWHלַיהוָהyour Elohimאֱלֹהֵיכֶםthat he onlyרַקremoveוְיָסֵרthisהַזֶּהdeathאֶת הַמָּוֶתfrom me.”מֵעָלַי
So he went outוַיֵּצֵאfromמֵעִםPharaohפַּרְעֹהand prayedוַיֶּעְתַּרtoאֶלYHWH.יְהוָה
And YHWHוַ יְהוָהturned it intoיַּהֲפֹךְa veryמְאֹדstrongחָזָקwestיָםwind,רוּחַwhich liftedוַיִּשָּׂאthe locustsאֶת הָאַרְבֶּהand drove themוַיִּתְקָעֵהוּinto the Seaיָמָּהof Reeds;סּוּףnotלֹאa singleאֶחָדlocustאַרְבֶּהremainedנִשְׁאַרin allבְּכֹלthe territoryגְּבוּלof Egypt.מִצְרָיִם
But YHWHוַ יְהוָהmadeיְחַזֵּקthe heartאֶת לֵבof Pharaohפַּרְעֹהobstinate,יְחַזֵּקand he did notוְלֹאletשִׁלַּחthe sonsאֶת בְּנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלgo.שִׁלַּח
YHWHיְהוָהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלMoses,מֹשֶׁה“Stretch outנְטֵהyour handיָדְךָtowardעַלthe sky,הַשָּׁמַיִםthat there may beוִיהִיdarknessחֹשֶׁךְoverעַלthe landאֶרֶץof Egypt,מִצְרָיִםa darknessחֹשֶׁךְthat can be felt.”וְיָמֵשׁ
So Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהstretched outיֵּטhis handאֶת יָדוֹtowardעַלthe sky,הַשָּׁמָיִםand there wasוַיְהִיthickאֲפֵלָהdarknessחֹשֶׁךְin allבְּכָלthe landאֶרֶץof Egyptמִצְרַיִםfor threeשְׁלֹשֶׁתdays.יָמִים
They did notלֹאseeרָאוּone another,אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיוand no oneוְלֹא אִישׁroseקָמוּfrom his placeמִתַּחְתָּיוfor threeשְׁלֹשֶׁתdays;יָמִיםbut allוּלְכָלthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלhadהָיָהlightאוֹרin their dwellings.בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָם
Then Pharaohוַ פַרְעֹהcalledיִּקְרָאtoאֶלMosesמֹשֶׁהand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Go,לְכוּserveעִבְדוּYHWH;אֶת יְהוָהonlyרַקlet your flocksצֹאנְכֶםand your herdsוּבְקַרְכֶםbe left behind;יֻצָּגevenגַּםyour little onesטַפְּכֶםmay goיֵלֵךְwith you.”עִמָּכֶם
But Mosesוַ מֹשֶׁהsaid,יֹּאמֶר“Youאַתָּהmust alsoגַּםputתִּתֵּןinto our handsבְּיָדֵנוּsacrificesזְבָחִיםand burnt offerings,וְעֹלוֹתthat we may offer themוְעָשִׂינוּto YHWHלַיהוָהour Elohim.אֱלֹהֵינוּ
Our livestockוְ מִקְנֵנוּalsoגַםmust goיֵלֵךְwith us;עִמָּנוּnotלֹאa hoofפַּרְסָהshall be left behind,תִשָּׁאֵרforכִּיfrom itמִמֶּנּוּwe must takeנִקַּחto serveלַעֲבֹדYHWHאֶת יְהוָהour Elohim,אֱלֹהֵינוּand weוַאֲנַחְנוּdo notלֹאknowנֵדַעwith whatמַהwe must serveנַּעֲבֹדYHWHאֶת יְהוָהuntilעַדwe arriveבֹּאֵנוּthere.”שָׁמָּה
But YHWHוַ יְהוָהmadeיְחַזֵּקthe heartאֶת לֵבof Pharaohפַּרְעֹהobstinate,יְחַזֵּקand he was notוְלֹאwillingאָבָהto let them go.לְשַׁלְּחָם
Pharaohפַרְעֹהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,לוֹ“Get awayלֵךְfrom me!מֵעָלָיTake careהִשָּׁמֶר לְךָneverאֶלagainתֹּסֶףto seeרְאוֹתmy face,פָּנַיforכִּיon the dayבְּיוֹםyou seeרְאֹתְךָmy faceפָנַיyou will die.”תָּמוּת
Mosesמֹשֶׁהsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“As you have said;כֵּן דִּבַּרְתָּI will notלֹאseeרְאוֹתyour faceפָּנֶיךָagain.”אֹסִף עוֹד