Exodus 11

¹ Yahweh said to Moses, ‘One disaster more I shall bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt, just one. After this he will let you go from here . . Indeed, he will drive you out!

² Instruct the people that every man is to ask his neighbour, every woman hers, for silver ornaments and gold.’

³ And Yahweh gave the people prestige in the eyes of the Egyptians, while Moses himself was a man of great importance in the land of Egypt, and of high prestige with Pharaoh’s courtiers and with the people.

⁴ Moses said, ‘This is Yahweh’s message, “Towards midnight I shall pass through Egypt.

⁵ All the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die: from the first-born of Pharaoh, heir to his throne, to the first-born of the maidservant at the mill, and all the first-born of the cattle.

⁶ And throughout the land of Egypt there shall be such a wailing as never was heard before, nor will be again.

⁷ But against the sons of Israel, against man or beast, never a dog shall bark, so that you may know that Yahweh discriminates between Egypt and Israel.

⁸ Then all these courtiers of yours will come down to me and bow low before me and say: Go away, you and all the people who follow you! After this, I shall go.”‘ And, hot with anger, Moses left Pharaoh’s presence.

⁹ Then Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you; so that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt’.

¹⁰ All these wonders Moses and Aaron worked in the presence of Pharaoh. But Yahweh made Pharaoh’s heart stubborn, and he did not let the sons of Israel leave his country.