1 UJehova wayesethi kuMose: “Ngena kuFaro, ngokuba ngenze lukhuni inhliziyo yakhe nenhliziyo yezinceku zakhe ukuba ngizenze lezi zibonakaliso zami phakathi kwabo,
2 ukuze utshele indodana yakho ezindlebeni nendodana yendodana yakho lokho engikwenzele iGibithe, nezibonakaliso zami engizenzile phakathi kwabo, nize nazi ukuthi nginguJehova.”
3 OMose no-Aroni bangena-ke kuFaro, bathi kuye: “Usho kanje uJehova, uNkulunkulu wamaHeberu, uthi: ‘Koze kube nini wenqaba ukuzithoba phambi kwami na? Bavumele abantu bami ukuba bahambe, bangikhonze.
4 Ngokuba uma wenqaba ukuba abantu bami bahambe, bheka, ngomuso ngizakuletha isikhonyane ezweni lakho.
5 Siyakusibekela ubuso bomhlaba, ukuze kungabe kusabonwa mhlabathi; siyakudla okuseleyo okusindile, enikushiyelwe yisichotho, sidle yonke imithi enimilelayo endle.
6 Izindlu zakho, nezindlu zezinceku zakho zonke, nezindlu zabo bonke abaseGibithe ziyakugcwaliswa yiso, abangazange basibone esinjalo oyihlo nawoyise bawoyihlo, selokhu bafika emhlabeni kuze kube namuhla.’ ” Waphenduka, waphuma kuFaro.
7 Kepha izinceku zikaFaro zathi kuye: “Lo muntu uzakuba lugibe kuze kube nini na? Bavumele abantu ukuba bahambe bakhonze uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo. Awukwazi ukuthi iGibithe seliyashabalala na?”
8 OMose no-Aroni babuyiselwa kuFaro; wathi kubo: “Hambani nimkhonze uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu; kepha ngobani abazakuhamba na?”
9 UMose wathi: “Siyakuhamba nabasha bethu, nabadala bethu, namadodana ethu, namadodakazi ethu, nezimvu zethu, nezinkomo zethu, ngokuba sinomkhosi kaJehova.”
10 Wayesethi kubo: “Makabe nani-ke uJehova, njengokuba ngizakunivumela ukuba nihambe nezingane zenu; bhekani, ngokuba okubi kuphambi kwenu.
11 Kungabi njalo; hambani nina madoda nimkhonze uJehova, ngokuba yikho enikufunayo.” Base bexoshwa ebusweni bukaFaro.
12 UJehova wayesethi kuMose: “Yelula isandla sakho phezu kwezwe laseGibithe, kufike isikhonyane ukuba senyukele ezweni laseGibithe, sidle imifino yonke, konke okwashiywa yisichotho.”
13 UMose wayeselula induku yakhe phezu kwezwe laseGibithe; uJehova waletha umoya wasempumalanga ezweni ngalo lonke lolo suku nobusuku bonke; sekusile umoya wasempumalanga waletha isikhonyane.
14 Isikhonyane senyukela ezweni lonke laseGibithe, sahlala ezweni lonke laseGibithe, sasinzima kakhulu; ngaphambi kwaso kwakungazange kube khona isikhonyane esingangaso, nangasemva kwaso asisayikuba khona esingangaso.
15 Ngokuba sasibekela ubuso bonke bomhlaba, laze laba mnyama izwe. Sadla imifino yonke nezithelo zonke zemithi ezishiywe yisichotho; akwasala lutho oluluhlaza emithini nasemifinweni yasendle ezweni lonke laseGibithe.
16 Khona uFaro washesha wababiza oMose no-Aroni, wathi: “Ngonile kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu nakinina.
17 Ngalokho ake nithethelele isono sami ngalesi sikhathi esisodwa nje, nincenge uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ukuba asuse kimi lokhu kufa kuphela.”
18 Waphuma kuFaro, wamncenga uJehova.
19 UJehova wayesewuphendula umoya waba ngowasentshonalanga onamandla amakhulu; wona wasusa isikhonyane, wasilahla eLwandle Olubomvu; akwasala sikhonyane nesisodwa ezweni lonke laseGibithe.
20 Kepha uJehova wayenza lukhuni inhliziyo kaFaro, kabavumelanga abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukuba bahambe.
21 UJehova wayesethi kuMose: “Yelula isandla sakho ngasezulwini ukuba kube khona ubumnyama ezweni laseGibithe obuphatheka ngesandla.”
22 UMose wayeseselula isandla sakhe ngasezulwini; kwaba khona isigayegaye esinzima ezweni lonke laseGibithe izinsuku ezintathu.
23 Ababonananga; akusukanga muntu endaweni yakhe izinsuku zaze zaba ntathu; kepha kubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli kwakukhona ukukhanya emakhaya abo.
24 UFaro wambiza uMose, wathi: “Hambani nimkhonze uJehova, kusale kuphela izimvu zenu nezinkomo zenu; izingane zenu zingahamba nani.”
25 Wathi uMose: “Wonikela esandleni sethu imihlatshelo neminikelo yokushiswa, ukuze sihlabele uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.
26 Imfuyo yethu nayo iyakuhamba nathi; akuyikusala nanselo, ngokuba siyakuthatha kuyo lokhu esiyakumkhonza ngakho uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu; asikwazi esiyakumkhonza ngakho uJehova, singakafiki khona.”
27 Kepha uJehova wayenza lukhuni inhliziyo kaFaro, kabavumelanga ukuba bahambe.
28 UFaro wathi kuye: “Suka kimi, uqaphele ukuba ungabuboni ubuso bami futhi; ngokuba mhla ubona ubuso bami, uyakufa.”
29 Wathi uMose: “Ukhulume kahle; angisayikubuye ngibone ubuso bakho.”