Part 138 (2/2)

But he said, ”Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.' Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks.”

And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in deep trouble when it was said, ”Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, your daily tasks.”

And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: and they said to them, ”The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made us to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.”

And the Lord said unto Moses, ”Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for by a strong hand shall he let them go, and by a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.”

And it came to pa.s.s on the day when the Lord spoke unto Moses in the land of Egypt, that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ”I am the Lord: speak thou to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to thee.”

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And Moses said before the Lord, ”Behold, I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?”

And the Lord said unto Moses, ”See, I have made thee a G.o.d to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy spokesman. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not hearken unto you, and I will lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”

And Moses and Aaron did so; as the Lord commanded them, so did they.

And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ”When Pharaoh shall speak to you, saying, 'Show a wonder for you:' then thou shalt say unto Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.'”

And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so, as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the magicians: and they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE RIVER NILE

From a photograph belonging to Miss Clara L. Bodman and used by her kind permission.

”And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.”

This picture shows the broad Nile with one of the boats now in use called a ”dahabiyeh.” There has been built recently on the upper Nile an immense dam which will be used to regulate the flow of water and bring great agricultural prosperity to Egypt [End ill.u.s.tration]

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For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken.

THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.

1. THE PLAGUE OF BLOOD.

And the Lord said unto Moses, ”Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, he refuseth to let the people go. Get thee to Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. And thou shalt say unto him, 'The Lord, the G.o.d of the Hebrews, hath sent me to thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou hast not hearkened. Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.'”

And the Lord said to Moses, ”Say unto Aaron, 'Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.'”

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