26. “It would not be right to do that,” Moses answered, “because the Egyptians would be offended by our sacrificing the animals that we offer to the Lord our God. If we use these animals and offend the Egyptians by sacrificing them where they can see us, they will stone us to death.
27. We must travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, just as he commanded us.”
28. The king said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord, your God, in the desert, if you do not go very far. Pray for me.”
29. Moses answered, “As soon as I leave, I will pray to the Lord that tomorrow the flies will leave you, your officials, and your people. But you must not deceive us again and prevent the people from going to sacrifice to the Lord.”
30. Moses left the king and prayed to the Lord,
31. and the Lord did as Moses asked. The flies left the king, his officials, and his people; not one fly remained.
32. But even this time the king became stubborn, and again he would not let the people go.