The Plague of Lice & Arov

(12) Then ה׳ said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: Hold out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, and it shall turn to lice throughout the land of Egypt.”(13) And they did so. Aaron held out his arm with the rod and struck the dust of the earth, and vermin came upon human and beast; all the dust of the earth turned to lice throughout the land of Egypt.(14) The magician-priests did the like with their spells to produce lice, but they could not. The vermin remained upon human and beast;(15) and the magician-priests said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he would not heed them, as ה׳ had spoken.

(16) And ה׳ said to Moses, “Early in the morning present yourself to Pharaoh, as he is coming out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says ה׳: Let My people go that they may worship Me. (17) For if you do not let My people go, I will let loose swarms of insects against you and your courtiers and your people and your houses; the houses of the Egyptians, and the very ground they stand on, shall be filled with swarms of insects. (18) But on that day I will set apart the region of Goshen, where My people dwell, so that no swarms of insects shall be there, that you may know that I ה׳ am in the midst of the land. (19) And I will make a distinction between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall come to pass.’” (20) And ה׳ did so. Heavy swarms of insects invaded Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his courtiers; throughout the country of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of insects. (21) Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go and sacrifice to your God within the land.” (22) But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do this, for what we sacrifice to our God ה׳ is untouchable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice that which is untouchable to the Egyptians before their very eyes, will they not stone us? (23) So we must go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to ה׳ as our God may command us.” (24) Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to your God ה׳ in the wilderness; but do not go very far. Plead, then, for me.” (25) And Moses said, “When I leave your presence, I will plead with ה׳ that the swarms of insects depart tomorrow from Pharaoh and his courtiers and his people; but let not Pharaoh again act deceitfully, not letting the people go to sacrifice to ה׳.” (26) So Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and pleaded with ה׳. (27) And ה׳ did as Moses asked—removing the swarms of insects from Pharaoh, from his courtiers, and from his people; not one remained. (28) But Pharaoh became stubborn this time also, and would not let the people go.