17. Forgive me one more time and ask the Lord to stop these insects from killing every living plant.”
18. Moses left the palace and prayed.
19. Then the Lord sent a strong west wind that swept the locusts into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left anywhere in Egypt,
20. but the Lord made the king so stubborn that he still refused to let the Israelites go.
21. The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch your arm towards the sky, and everything will be covered with darkness thick enough to touch.”
22. Moses stretched his arm towards the sky, and Egypt was covered with darkness for three days.
23. During that time, the Egyptians could not see each other or leave their homes, but there was light where the Israelites lived.
24. The king sent for Moses and told him, “Go and worship the Lord! And take your families with you. Just leave your sheep, goats, and cattle.”
25. “No!” Moses replied. “You must let us offer sacrifices to the Lord our God,
26. and we won't know which animals we will need until we get there. That's why we can't leave even one of them here.”
27. This time the Lord made the king so stubborn
28. that he said to Moses, “Get out and stay out! If you ever come back, you're dead!”
29. “Have it your way,” Moses answered. “You won't see me again.”