Moses and Aaron went to tell Pharaoh God’s message: ‘If you don’t let my people go, I will send gadflies to the land.’ Swarms of gadflies invaded the houses of the Egyptians, both rich and poor. The whole land was full of gadflies. But in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, there were no gadflies. Starting with this fourth plague, the plagues hurt only the Egyptians. Pharaoh pleaded: ‘Beg Jehovah to take these flies away. Your people can go.’ But when Jehovah took the gadflies away, Pharaoh changed his mind. Would Pharaoh ever learn his lesson?

Jehovah said: ‘If Pharaoh does not let my people go, the animals of the Egyptians will become sick and die.’ The next day, the animals began to die. But the animals of the Israelites didn’t die. Still Pharaoh was stubborn, and he wouldn’t give in.

Then Jehovah told Moses to go back to Pharaoh and throw ashes into the air. The ashes became dust that filled the air and settled on all the Egyptians. The dust caused painful sores to break out on all of the Egyptians and their animals. Even so, Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go.

Jehovah sent Moses back to Pharaoh with His message: ‘Are you still refusing to send my people away? Tomorrow hail will rain down on the land.’ The next day, Jehovah sent hail, thunder, and fire. It was the worst storm Egypt had ever seen. All the trees and crops were ruined, but not those in Goshen. Pharaoh said: ‘Beg Jehovah to make this stop! Then you can go.’ But as soon as the hail and the rain stopped, Pharaoh changed his mind.

Then Moses said: ‘Now locusts will eat any plants that were left over from the hailstorm.’ Millions of locusts ate up everything that was left in the fields and on the trees. Pharaoh pleaded: ‘Beg Jehovah to send these locusts away.’ But even after Jehovah stopped the locusts, Pharaoh was still stubborn.

Jehovah told Moses: ‘Stretch out your hand toward the sky.’ Immediately, the sky became completely dark. For three days, the Egyptians could not see anything or anybody. Only the Israelites had light in their houses.

Pharaoh said to Moses: ‘You and your people can go. Just leave your animals here.’ Moses said: ‘We must take our animals so that we can offer them to our God.’ Pharaoh was very angry. He shouted: ‘Get away from me! If I see you again, I will kill you.’

Moses promised Pharaoh that he would not try to see him again. But before he left, he told Pharaoh: ‘At midnight, every firstborn child in Egypt, from the son of Pharaoh to the sons of the slaves, will die.’

Jehovah told the Israelites to have a special meal. He said: ‘Kill a one-year-old male sheep or goat, and put some of its blood on your doorway. Roast the meat, and eat it along with unleavened bread. Be dressed, with your sandals on, ready to go. This night I will set you free.’ Can you imagine how excited the Israelites must have been?

At midnight, Jehovah’s angel went to every house in Egypt. In the houses that were not marked with blood on the doorway, the firstborn died. But the angel passed over the houses marked with blood. Every Egyptian family, rich and poor, lost a child. But not one of the Israelite children died.

Even Pharaoh’s own son was dead. Pharaoh could not take it anymore. He immediately told Moses and Aaron: ‘Get up. Get out of here. Go and worship your God. Take your animals and go!’

Under a full moon, the Israelites marched out of Egypt, organized by family and tribe. There were 600,000 Israelite men and many women and children. Also, a lot of other people went with them so that they could worship Jehovah too. The Israelites were free at last!

To remember how Jehovah had saved them, they would have that same special meal each year. It was called the Passover.