3 aThe Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. bFurthermore, the man Moses himself was 1greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

4 Moses said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘About amidnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,

5 and aall the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well.

6 ‘Moreover, there shall be aa great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again.

7 ‘aBut against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even 1bark, whether against man or beast, that you may 2understand how the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’

8 “aAll these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves 1before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who 2follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” bAnd he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “aPharaoh will not listen to you, so bthat My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

10 aMoses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; yet bthe Lord 1hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.