1 The LORD had said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that he will let you leave this place; indeed, when he lets you go, he will drive you out of here altogether.
2 Tell the people that each man is to ask his neighbor, and each woman hers, for silver and gold jewelry."
3 The LORD made the Egyptians look with favor on the people. The man Moses himself was highly regarded in the land of Egypt, both by Pharaoh's servants and by the people.
4 So Moses said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Around midnight I will go out through the midst of Egypt,
5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave woman at the hand mill, as well as all the firstborn of the livestock.
6 A loud wailing will go up all over the land of Egypt, worse than there has ever been or ever will be again.
7 But among the children of Israel not even a dog will growl at any person or animal, so that you may know that the LORD distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.'
8 Then all these servants of yours will come down to me and bow before me, saying, 'Leave, you and all the people who follow you!' After that I will leave." And he went out from Pharaoh, blazing with anger.
9 The LORD had told Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that my wonders may increase in the land of Egypt."
10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders in Pharaoh's presence, but the LORD made Pharaoh's heart hard, and he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.