The Plagues and Passover
Exodus 5-12
The Hebrew people of Israel were slaves in Egypt. They were doing a lot of hard work for Pharaoh, and he didn't want them to stop. So when Moses and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh, he wouldn't let the people of Israel go to Canaan. Moses showed Pharaoh many miracles of God, but Pharaoh's magicians could do miracles, too.
After Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, the Hebrews were treated worse than ever. "Leave us alone!" they said to Moses and Aaron. "You have turned Pharaoh against us!"
God told Moses that he had to go back to Pharaoh. Nine times Moses went to and said, "Let my people go." Nine times Pharaoh did not let the people go.
God sent nine plagues to Egypt. God let Moses turn the Nile River to blood. Then God sent thousands of frogs, and then gnats, and then great swarms of flies.
When each plague came, Pharaoh said, "Ask your God to take this plague away, and I will let you go." But when the plague was gone, Pharaoh became stubborn and said, "I will not let your people go."
Soon there were plagues of sickness in the Egyptian cattle, and many cows died. After that there were plagues of skin diseases on people and of terrible hail that smashed the crops. The locusts ate every tree and plant that was left standing after the hail. And after that there were three days of darkness.
When each plague came, Pharaoh said, "Ask your God to take this away, and I will let you go." But when the plagues was gone, Pharaoh became stubborn and said, "I will not let your people go."
Finally God told Moses, "Now I will send the most terrible thing of all. The oldest child of every Egyptian family will die. Each family must kill a lamb to eat for dinner. You must mark the door of each house of the Hebrews with the blood of the lamb. The Lord will pass over your houses and your people will be safe. Then Pharaoh will let you go."
The people did as God said, and the oldest child of every Egyptian house died. But none of the Hebrew people died.
Pharaoh said, "Take these people and get out of Egypt. We can't stand any more plagues from your God."
The Hebrew people loaded up all their belongings in a hurry. They even took the bread they were making without removing it from the bowls. When they baked it, it was flat because they hadn't put leaven in it yet.
God spoke to Moses and Aaron. "In the new land I am giving you," God said, "you will celebrate my Passover. This month will always be the first month of the year for you. Every year, you will mark the two doorposts of your houses and the beam over the doorway with the blood of the Passover lamb."
God told them that they should roast the lamb and eat it for dinner. God told them also to serve flat, unleavened bread with the dinner.
"You must eat this meal dressed for traveling, with your walking stick in your hand and your shoes on your feet," God told them.
God said that when their children who were born in Canaan asked why they kept this service, they must tell them, "It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, because God passed over our houses when the Egyptians died."
God said to the people, "You must do this every year, you and your children and your children's children and their children. This Passover must be observed every year forever and ever."
When the Hebrew people of Israel heard these things, they bowed their heads and worshiped God.
