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 the wise men and the sorcerers, and the magicians of Egypt, and they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. We see in this chapter how weak is man, and how great is the power of God, to overrule evil for good. God loved the children of Israel, or Jacob. He had promised to be their God, and to make them a great nation, and to bring them back again out of Egypt, and to give them all the land of Canaan. Pharaoh, who was but a man, though he was a great king, despised the children of Israel, and would not believe the word of God. And by drowning all the little Hebrew boys, and making their fathers work hard in building for him, he thought he should soon destroy the Israelites out of his land. But see, God put it into the heart of Pharaoh's own daughter to save Moses, who was designed by God to bring Israel out of Egypt, as you will read in the next chapter. After Joseph's death, how did the children of Israel fare in Egypt? What did Pharaoh command should be done with the Hebrew boys? What did he set the Hebrews to labour at? How was Moses saved from the river? How did God first speak to Moses? Of which tribe, or of which of the twelve sons of Israel, were Moses and Aaron ? What miracle did Aaron perform to show Pharaoh that God had sent him and Moses with a message from Himself? The Ten Plagues of Egypt and the Passover. T EN dreadful plagues by God were scnt, Before King Pharaoh would repent, First, Moses stretching out his hand, The cattle die, and boils and blains The east wind blows, and locusts throng; And next a darkness, three days long, Still, Pharaoh's stubborn heart to melt, Ev'ry first-born must die; But first they eat the Paschal Lamb, Whose blood redemption gives. H The Ten Plagues. Pharaoh's Heart is hardened. The At last Pharaoh drives the Hebrews Passover. out of Egypt. ND the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuseth to let the people go. Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning: lo, he goeth out unto the water, and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he comes, and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness, and behold hitherto thou wouldst not hear. Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord. And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded. And all the waters were turned to blood, and the fish died, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water, and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he turned and went into his house. And seven days passed away. And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold I will smite all thy borders with frogs. And the frogs shall come up both on thee and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. And Aaron stretched forth his hand with his rod, and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Entreat the Lord, that He may take away the frogs, and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord. And Moses cried unto the Lord, and the Lord did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died, and |