Then the <sc>Lordsc> relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people.p>

Moses and Aaron did so,<n id="1" /> just as the <sc>Lordsc> had commanded. Moses raised<n id="2" /> the staff<n id="3" /> and struck the water that was in the Nile right before the eyes<n id="4" /> of Pharaoh and his servants,<n id="5" /> and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood.<n id="6" />

He said to them, &#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> has said: &#8216;Tomorrow is a time of cessation from work,<n id="1" /> a holy Sabbath<n id="2" /> to the <sc>Lordsc>. Whatever you want to<n id="3" /> bake, bake today;<n id="4" /> whatever you want to boil, boil today; whatever is left put aside for yourselves to be kept until morning.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">He said, &#8220;See, I am going to make<n id="1" /> a covenant before all your people. I will do wonders such as have not been done<n id="2" /> in all the earth, nor in any nation. All the people among whom you live will see the work of the <sc>Lordsc>, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then a new king,<n id="1" /> who did not know about<n id="2" /> Joseph, came to power<n id="3" /> over Egypt.

But the more the Egyptians<n id="1" /> oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread.<n id="2" /> As a result the Egyptians loathed<n id="3" /> the Israelites,

<p class="bodytext">The king of Egypt said<n id="1" /> to the Hebrew midwives,<n id="2" /> one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,<n id="3" />

So now go, and I will be with your mouth<n id="1" /> and will teach you<n id="2" /> what you must say.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

You will also take in your hand this staff, with which you will do the signs.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

You<n id="1" /> go get straw for yourselves wherever you can<n id="2" /> find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.&#8217;&#8221;

The slave masters were pressuring<n id="1" /> them, saying, &#8220;Complete<n id="2" /> your work for each day, just like when there was straw!&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">And Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the <sc>Lordsc> commanded them.

Yet Pharaoh&#8217;s heart became hard,<n id="1" /> and he did not listen to them, just as the <sc>Lordsc> had predicted.p>

Fish<n id="1" /> in the Nile will die, the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable<n id="2" /> to drink water from the Nile.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;

We must go<n id="1" /> on a three-day journey<n id="2" /> into the desert and sacrifice<n id="3" /> to the <sc>Lordsc> our God, just as he is telling us.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was there no hail.p>

and the Israelites went away and did exactly as the <sc>Lordsc> had commanded Moses and Aaron.<n id="1" />p>

Also, take your flocks and your herds, just as you have requested, and leave. But bless me also.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Now the length of time the Israelites lived in Egypt was 430 years.<n id="1" />

Just as the <sc>Lordsc> commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the Testimony<n id="1" /> for safekeeping.<n id="2" />p>