1 And the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Commander} said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Let My people go {shalach: release by command}, so that they may serve Me.’”
2 But if you refuse to send them out, look—I {YHWH, Judge of Egypt} will strike all your borders {gevul: land boundary} with the frogs.
3 The Nile {hayeor: primary Egyptian river} will teem with frogs, which will invade your house, your bedchamber and your bed; they will seep into the houses of your servants and among your people, and even into your ovens and your kneading troughs {misharot: dough mixing vessels}.
4 The frogs {hatsfarde’im: plague creatures} will come up over you, over your people, and over all your servants {avadim: household staff}.
5 Then the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Commander} said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Extend your hand with your staff {mattekh: instrument of authority} over the rivers, over the streams, and over the ponds, and bring up the frogs onto the land of Egypt.’”
6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters {meimei: gathered waterways} of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land {erets: entire territory} of Egypt.
7 The magicians {hakharṭumim: court conjurers} did likewise by their secret arts {belateihem: occult practices}, and they also made frogs come up upon the land of Egypt.
8 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat the LORD {YHWH, Judge of Plagues} to remove the frogs {hatsfardeim: plague creatures} from me and from my people. Then I will send the people away, and they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Glorify yourself {hitpaer: demonstrate your importance} by setting the time: when shall I entreat for you, for your servants, and for your people, to remove the frogs from you and from your houses so that they remain only in the river {yeor: Nile stream}?”
10 Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Let it be according to Your word {kidvarekha: precise fidelity}, so that You may know that there is none like the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Sovereign Judge}.”
11 The frogs will depart from you and from your houses and from your servants and from your people; only in the Nile {yeor: great river} will they remain {tishsha'arnah: continue to endure}.
12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} concerning the matter {devar: cause of affliction} of the frogs He had placed against Pharaoh.
13 And the LORD {YHWH, Miracle Worker} acted according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out from the houses, from the courtyards {chatserot: outer spaces}, and from the fields.
14 And they gathered them into mounds {khomarim: great piles}, mound on mound, and the land {erets: domain of habitation} reeked.
15 But when Pharaoh noticed that there was relief {revachah: breathing space}, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, just as the LORD {YHWH, Promise Fulfiller} had spoken.
16 And the LORD {YHWH, Divine Judge} commanded Moses, “Tell Aaron to extend his staff and strike the dust {afar: loose dry soil} of the land, and it shall become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.”
17 So they did as commanded, and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the ground, and it became gnats {kinnam: minute biting insects} on people and animals; all the dust of the ground became gnats throughout the land of Egypt {Mitsrayim: Nile kingdom}.
18 And the magicians {khartumim: court advisors} did so with their secret arts {belateihem: hidden techniques} to bring out the gnats, but they were not able; so the gnats were on the people and on the animals.
19 So the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger {etsba: Supernatural Sign} of God {elohim: Sovereign Authority}.” Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD {YHWH: Faithful Judge} had said.
20 And the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Judge} said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and station yourself before Pharaoh {Parʿōh: Imperial Ruler}, for behold, he goes out to the water. Then say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Send my people so that they may serve me.’”
21 For if you do not release my people, behold, I {YHWH, Righteous Judge} will send upon you, your servants, your people, and your houses the swarm {arov: destructive pest}, and the houses of Egypt will be filled with it, even the ground on which they stand.
22 And I will set apart on that day the land of Goshen {Goshen: Egyptian region}, where my people dwell, so that no swarm will be there, in order that you may know that I, the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer in Judgment}, am in the midst of the land.
23 I {YHWH, Divine Divider} will set a distinction {pedut: miraculous division} between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.
24 And the LORD {YHWH, Plague Bringer} did so; a dense swarm {arav: multitude of insects} came into Pharaoh’s house and into the houses of his servants, and throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarm.
25 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God {Eloheikhem, Divine Judge} in the land {arets: Egyptian territory}.”
26 But Moses said, “It is not proper {nakhon: fitting requirement} to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of Egypt to the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Worship Recipient}. If we offer these sacrifices before their eyes, will they not stone us?”
27 We will undertake a three-day journey into the wilderness {midbar: place of testing}, and we will offer sacrifices to the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Covenant Commander}, just as the LORD will command us.
28 And Pharaoh said, “I will send you out, and you shall sacrifice to the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Ruler} your God in the wilderness {midbar: uninhabited region}; only do not go very far away. Intercede for me.”
29 Moses said, “Behold, I am departing from you, and I will petition the LORD {YHWH, Divine Judge}. Tomorrow the swarm {he‘arov: pestilent swarm} will be removed from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people. Only let Pharaoh cease to deal deceitfully by refusing to send the people to sacrifice to the LORD.”
30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh and pleaded {vayetar: urgently interceded} to the LORD {YHWH, Deliverance Hearer}.
31 And the LORD {YHWH, Plague Remover} did according to the word of Moses, and He removed the swarm {he’arov: destructive flies} from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not a single one was left.
32 And Pharaoh {paroh: Ruler of Egypt} hardened his heart {libbo: inner resolve} even this time, and he did not send out the people.