be felt.* And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: no man saw his brother, neither did any rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

And Pharaoh called unto Moses,† and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herdst be left let your little ones also go with you. And Moses said, Thou must put into our hands also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may offer to the LORD our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for from them we must take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD until we come thither.

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not send them away. And Pharaoh said to him, Get thee from me; take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for, in the day that thou seest my face, thou shalt die. And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no more.

For the LORD had said to Moses, Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt-after that he will send you hence. When he shall send you away, he will surely banish you hence altogether.§ Speak now in the ears of the

* Darkness which may be felt.-Probably a dense mist or fog which, while it shrouded all objects as with a thick veil, would, at the same time, render all artificial light useless. The Israelites, living in a particular district by themselves, might be kept free from such a mist or vapour.

And Pharaoh called, &c.-Doubtless after the three days of darkness were over.

Only let your flocks and herds be left. This was merely another device to force the Israelites to return; as Pharaoh felt sure that, without flocks and herds, they could not support themselves long in the wilderness.

§ Banish you hence altogether, i. e. He will send you out, not with the understanding that you are to return; but he will send you out to return no more.

people, and let every man ask* of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians.

Now Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people. And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About the middle of the night, will I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even to the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill;† and all the firstlings of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. But at any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move

* Let every man ask, &c.-Let every man borrow, &c. Authorized Version.-Some idea that the Israelites had no just claim on the Egyptians must have induced the translators of the authorized version, to render this phrase, here and on a former occasion, 'Let every man borrow,' &c., for the word properly signifies, to ask or demand. But it is to be remembered, that the Egyptians were heavily in arrears to the Israelites, who had laboured long for them without remuneration. Besides that the Israelites were entitled to compensation for the sufferings which had been inflicted on them. They were therefore directed to make a demand on the Egyptians, for some portion at least of what was justly due to them; and the Lord disposed the Egyptians, partly it might be by fear, partly by compassion, partly by shewing them that He, the great and mighty God, favoured them, to give to the Israelites as much as they required.

†The maid-servant that is behind the mill.-In the East it is usual for every family to grind as much corn every morning as may be required during the day. For this purpose a hand-mill is used, which is worked by two persons, frequently females. It consists of two circular stones, the upper of which is made to turn round on the other, by a handle, and the women sitting opposite to one another, with the mill between them, cause the upper stone to revolve by passing the upright handle rapidly from the one to the other.

his tongue, at man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down to me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. And the LORD said to Moses, Pharaoh will not hearken to you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not send the children of Israel out of his land.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XXXIV.

AFTER the plague of the dog-fly, what plague was inflicted on Egypt.

How were the magicians affected by this plague?

What effect was produced upon Pharaoh?

What further measure did God take to subdue the obstinacy of Pharaoh ?

Whose cattle and servants were preserved from the hail? and how?

What did Pharaoh now do ?

What did Moses do? and what was the effect?

Did Pharaoh abide by his promise?

What further plague was threatened?

What effect had this threatening upon Pharaoh? What

did he propose?

Was this granted?

What did Moses then do?

How was Pharaoh now affected? What did he say?

What did Moses do? and with what effect?

Did Pharaoh keep his promise?

What further plague was inflicted?

What did Pharaoh propose to Moses after this plague?

Did Moses agree to this?

What did Pharaoh now say?

What answer did Moses give?

Before the last plague inflicted on the Egyptians, what

direction was given to the Israelites ?

What was the plague then threatened?

With what feelings did Moses go out from Pharaoh ?
In what temper did Pharaoh continue?

O. T.-No. 2.

B

LESSON XXXV.

FROM EXODUS XII. AND XIII.

AND the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first among the months of the year to you. Speak ye to all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month, let them take to themselves every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a household: and if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next to his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man, according to his eating, shall make your count for the lamb. The lamb shall be without blemish, a male of a year old: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of this month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side posts, and on the upper door post of the houses in which they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roast with fire, its head with its legs, and its inwards. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but whatever shall remain of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I wili execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the

blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be to you for a memorial; and ye shall observe it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; by an ordinance for ever ye shall observe it as a feast. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day an holy convocation, and in the seventh day an holy convocation shall be held by you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which is to be eaten by every man, that only may be done by you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for on this same day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt; therefore shalı ye observe this day in your generations, by an ordinance for ever.

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, ye shall cat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month, in the evening. Seven days shall there no leaven be found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether stranger, or native of the land. Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them, Go and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the