Study Desk

He will be your spokesman and speak to the people for you. Then you will be like God, telling him what to say.

Take this walking stick with you; for with it you will perform miracles."

While Moses was still in Midian, the Lord said to him, "Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead."

So Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and set out with them for Egypt, carrying the walking stick that God had told him to take.

"Stop giving the people straw for making bricks. Make them go and find it for themselves.

He says that you must go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it, but you must still make the same number of bricks."

So the people went all over Egypt looking for straw.

As they were leaving, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them.

They said to Moses and Aaron, "The Lord has seen what you have done and will punish you for making the king and his officers hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us."

Ever since I went to the king to speak for you, he has treated them cruelly. And you have done nothing to help them!"

Then the king called for his wise men and magicians, and by their magic they did the same thing.

So go and meet him in the morning when he goes down to the Nile. Take with you the walking stick that was turned into a snake, and wait for him on the riverbank.

All the Egyptians dug along the bank of the river for drinking water, because they were not able to drink water from the river.

The king called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the Lord to take away these frogs, and I will let your people go, so that they can offer sacrifices to the Lord ."

Moses replied, "I will be glad to pray for you. Just set the time when I am to pray for you, your officers, and your people. Then you will be rid of the frogs, and there will be none left except in the Nile."

The king answered, "Pray for me tomorrow." Moses said, "I will do as you ask, and then you will know that there is no other god like the Lord , our God.

Then the king called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Go and offer sacrifices to your God here in this country."

The king said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord , your God, in the desert, if you do not go very far. Pray for me."

Now give orders for your livestock and everything else you have in the open to be put under shelter. Hail will fall on the people and animals left outside unprotected, and they will all die.'"

Some of the king's officials were afraid because of what the Lord had said, and they brought their slaves and animals indoors for shelter.