Exodus 10:21–29

The Plague of Darkness

²¹Then Yahweh said to Moses, “^aStretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness ^bwhich may be felt.”

²²So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was ^athick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.

²³They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, ^abut all the sons of Israel had light in their places of habitation.

²⁴Then Pharaoh ^acalled to Moses and said, “Go, serve Yahweh; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even ^byour little ones may go with you.”

²⁵But Moses said, “You must also ¹let us have in our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may ²sacrifice them to Yahweh our God.

²⁶“^aTherefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall remain behind, for we shall take some of them to serve Yahweh our God. And until we come there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve Yahweh.”

²⁷But ^aYahweh ¹hardened Pharaoh’s heart with strength, and he was not willing to let them go.

²⁸Then Pharaoh said to him, “^aGet away from me! ¹Beware, do not see my face again, for in the day you see my face you shall die!”

²⁹And Moses said, “As you have spoken; ^aI shall never see your face again!”