Fifth Plague

By Mary Vee
Exodus 9: 1-12


Aaron sipped his water then set the cup on the table.  His fingers drummed softly on the table.  When's Moses coming home?  He yawned.  He laid his head on the table and yawned again.  His evening visits with God sometimes last a long time.


He heard himself snore and chose to ignore the sound. 


What seemed like a flash of a moment later, he heard the door click.  Aaron bolted up and whiped the drool from his face. Not wanting to wake the other family members he motioned for Moses to join him at the table.
"What did God say?"


Moses shook his head.  "I don't understand why Pharaoh hasn't let the children of Israel go.  The Egyptians still complain about the the water turning to blood, the frogs,  lice, and the flies."

Aaron smiled.  "They sure looked funny dancing around the streets scratching and shooing the lice and flies away.  Apparently it isn't enough to change Pharaoh's mind.  What did God say tonight?"

He wants us to go to Pharaoh tomorrow and tell him, "the Lord God of the Hebrews says "Let My people go, that they may serve Me.'"


Aaron sat back in his chair.  "He won't, not yet."


"I agree.  The Lord also wants us to tell Pharaoh, 'If you refuse to let them go, and hold them back, the hand of the Lord will bring a deadly sickness on your cattle in the field, the horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep.'"


"They won't be able to plow fields, or have transportation."  Aaron stroke his beard.  "This plague will bring the city to a stop."


"Not only that, but the Lord wants us also to say, 'The Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt.'  So nothing that belongs to the children of Israel will die.  He said to tell Pharaoh the plague on Egyptian livestock will happen the next day."


Aaron nodded. "Better get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow."


The next morning Aaron and Moses stood side by side in front of Pharaoh.  Aaron spoke the words Moses told him to say.  Pharaoh laughed and walked away.  "I won't let the children of Israel go!"


As the sun rose the following morning, Egyptians went out to care for their livestock.  They found their cattle in the field, horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep sick.  The moaning, bleeting, braying, and neighing from their livestock worried the Egyptians.  A little while later the animals fell to the ground, too sick to stand. 


Servants ran to Pharaoh to tell him the news.  "Pharaoh, the animals all over the city and out in the fields are dying from some mysterious disease. None of the doctors can help. We don't know what to do."


Pharaoh shook his fist at Moses. "What have you done?  Let me see the Israelite animals."


One servant cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Pharaoh, you will have to walk. The royal horses have died."


Pharaoh squinted his eyes and pounded one fist. "Fine, I'll walk." When he arrived where the Israelites lived, he saw all of their livestock were healthy. His face turned red with anger.  "You tell your God, I will not let the children of Israel go."


***************


1.  What more needs to happen to get Pharaoh to change his mind?
2.  What was the fifth plague?
3.  This time Pharaoh went to the place where the Israelites lived.  Why did he go there?
4.  What do you think will happen next?