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This Bible story first appeared at https://bibleforchildren.org
Pharaoh was angry! God had commanded him through Moses to let the Israelite slaves leave Egypt. He refused. “Work them harder”, Pharaoh ordered his slave masters. Now things were even worse for the Israelites.
“Gather your own straw. We won’t provide it any longer. But make the same number of bricks.” Those were Pharaoh’s new orders. The taskmasters whipped some slaves because they didn’t have time to gather straw and still make enough bricks.
The people blamed Moses and Aaron for their troubles. Moses found a place to pray. “O LORD,” he cried, “You have
not rescued Your people at all.” “I am the LORD, and I will bring you out,” God answered.
Then God sent Moses and Aaron back to Pharaoh. When the mighty ruler asked God’s servants for a sign from God, Aaron’s rod turned into a slithering snake.
“Call my magicians,” Pharaoh roared. When the Egyptian magicians threw down their rods, each rod became a snake also. But Aaron’s rod swallowed the others. Still, Pharaoh refused to let the people go.
Next morning, Moses and Aaron met Pharaoh at the river. When Aaron held out his rod, God turned the water into blood. Fish died! People couldn’t drink it! But Pharaoh hardened his heart. He would not let the Israelites leave Egypt.
Again, Moses told Pharaoh to let God’s people go. Pharaoh refused again. God sent another plague. All of Egypt was
filled with frogs. Every house, every room, even the cooking ovens were over-run with frogs!
“Pray for me, that God will remove the frogs,” Pharaoh pleaded. “And I will let your people go.” But, when the frogs were gone, Pharaoh changed his mind. He would not free the slaves.
God then sent billions of tiny bugs called lice. Every person and beast itched from their bites, but Pharaoh would not give in to God.
Next God sent flies, swarms of them. God sent disease to kill the Egyptians’ livestock. God sent painful boils. People suffered terribly. Still Pharaoh resisted God.
After the plague of boils, God sent hordes of locusts. The locusts ate every green plant in the land.
Then God sent three days of complete darkness. But stubborn Pharaoh would not free the Israelites.
“I will send one more plague,” God warned. “About midnight, all the first- born of man and beast will die.” God told the Israelites their first-born would be saved if they placed lamb’s blood on their doorposts. At midnight, a great cry arose in Egypt. Death had struck. At least one person had died in every house.
“Get out,” Pharaoh begged Moses. “Go, serve the LORD.” Quickly, God’s people marched beyond Egypt’s border. God told Moses to remember the Passover Night because the Angel of God had passed over the Israelite homes and struck Pharaoh and his people.
After 430 years in Egypt, God’s people were now free. God led them in a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night.
But Pharaoh was not finished with the Israelites. Again, he forgot God. Again, he changed his mind. Gathering his army, he went after the slaves. Soon, he had them trapped between the cliffs and the sea.
“The LORD shall fight for you,” Moses said. Moses went forward to the water’s edge, and stretched out his arm. A great miracle happened. God opened a path through the water. The people crossed safely.
Then Pharaoh’s army galloped into the Red Sea. “Now we’ll catch them,” the soldiers thought. But God closed the waters. Egypt’s powerful army was swallowed up. Now Pharaoh knew that Israel’s God was LORD over all.
