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And the Lord said unto Moses, "Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt." And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, "Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you." And Moses said, "Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God; and we know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither." But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. And Pharaoh said unto him, "Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die." And Moses said, "Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more."

THE DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let

you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold." And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people. And Moses said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, 'Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee:' and after that I will go out." And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. And the Lord said unto Moses, "Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, "Speak

THE DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN.

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ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'They shall take to them every man a lamb, a lamb for an house: and if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it, and ye shall kill it; and shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it."" Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, “Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two sideposts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing as an ordinance to thee and to thy sons forever. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you,' What mean ye by this service,' that ye shall say, 'It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses."" And the people of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron.

And it came to pass that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born of the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive that

was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of the cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go and serve the Lord as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also." And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, "We be all dead men."

The Story of Pharaoh and his Host Swallowed up in the Red Sea.

(From the 12th, 13th, and 14th Chapters of EXODUS.)

Now the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt, about six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks and herds, even very much cattle. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victuals. For it came to pass that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called

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