¶ The LORD said unto Moses: go unto Pharao, nevertheless I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I might shew these my signs amongst them,
and that thou tell in the audience of thy son and of thy son's son, the pageants which I have played in Egypt, and the miracles which I have done among them: that ye may know how that I am the LORD.
Then Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharao, and said unto him: Thus sayeth the LORD God of the Hebrews: how long shall it be, or thou wilt submit thyself unto me? Let my people go that they may serve me.
If thou wilt not let my people go: behold, tomorrow will I bring grasshoppers into thy land,
and they shall cover the face of the earth that it can not be seen, and they shall eat the residue which remaineth unto you and escaped the hail, and they shall eat all your green trees upon the field,
and they shall fill thy houses and all thy servants' houses, and the houses of all the Egyptians after such a manner: as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers fathers have seen, since the time they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself about, and went out from Pharao.
And Pharao's servants said unto him: How long shall this fellow thus plague us? Let the men go that they may serve the LORD their God, or else wilt thou see Egypt first destroyed?
And then Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharao, and he said unto them: Go and serve the LORD your God but who are they that shall go?
And Moses answered: we must go with young and old: yea and with our sons and with our daughters, and with our sheep and oxen must we go. For we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
And he said unto them: shall it be so? The LORD be with you, should I let you go, and your children also? Take heed, for ye have some mischief in hand.
Nay not so: but go ye that are men and serve the LORD, for that was your desire. And they thrust them out of Pharao's presence.
¶ And the LORD said unto Moses: Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for grasshoppers, that they come upon the land of Egypt and eat all the herbs of the land, and all that the hail left untouched.
And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land, all that day and all night. And in the morning the east wind brought the grasshoppers,
and the grasshoppers went up over all the land of Egypt and lighted in all quarters of Egypt very grievously: so that before them were there no such grasshoppers, neither after them shall be.
And they covered all the face of the earth, so that the land was dark therewith. And they ate all the herbs of the land and all the fruits of the trees which the hail had left: so that there was no green thing left in the trees and herbs of the field thorow all the land of Egypt.
Then Pharao called for Moses and Aaron in haste and said: I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.
Forgive me yet my sin only this once, and pray unto the LORD your God that he may take away from me this death only.
And he went out from Pharao and prayed unto the LORD,
and the LORD turned the wind into a mighty strong west wind, and it took away the grasshoppers and cast them into the reed sea: so that there was not one grasshopper left in all the coasts of Egypt.
But the LORD hardened Pharao's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
¶ And the LORD said unto Moses: Stretch out thy hand unto heaven, and let there be darkness upon the land of Egypt: even that they may feel the darkness.
And Moses stretched forth his hand unto heaven, and there was a dark mist upon all the land of Egypt three days long,
so that no man saw another, neither rose up from the place where he was by the space of three days, but all the children of Israel had light where they dwelled.
Then Pharao called for Moses and said: go and serve the LORD, only let your sheep, and your oxen abide, but let your children go with you.
And Moses answered: thou must give us also offerings and burnt offerings for to sacrifice unto the LORD our God.
Our cattle therefore shall go with us, and there shall not one hoof be left behind, for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God. Moreover we can not know wherewith we shall serve the LORD, until we come thither.
But the LORD hardened Pharao's heart, so that he would not let them go.
And Pharao said unto him: get thee from me and take heed to thyself that thou see my face no more. For whensoever thou comest in my sight, thou shalt die.
And Moses said: Let it be as thou hast said: I will see thy face no more.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.