s; nor are the fruits of the womb according to nature,
but every thing is unfriendly and adverse towards them. He said further,
that the Egyptians should know this by sad experience; and that besides,
the Hebrew people should go out of their country without their consent.

CHAPTER 14. Concerning The Ten Plagues Which Came Upon The Egyptians.

1. But when the king despised the words of Moses, and had no regard at
all to them, grievous plagues seized the Egyptians; every one of which I
will describe, both because no such plagues did ever happen to any other
nation as the Egyptians now felt, and because I would demonstrate that
Moses did not fail in any one thing that he foretold them; and because
it is for the good of mankind, that they may learn this caution--Not to
do anything that may displease God, lest he be provoked to wrath, and
avenge their iniquities upon them. For the Egyptian river ran with
bloody water at the command of God, insomuch that it could not be drunk,
and they had no other spring of water neither; for the water was not
only of the color of blood, but it brought upon those that ventured to
drink of it, great pains and bitter torment. Such was the river to the
Egyptians; but it was sweet and fit for drinking to the Hebrews, and no
way different from what it naturally used to be. As the king therefore
knew not what to do in these surprising circumstances, and was in fear
for the Egyptians, he gave the Hebrews leave to go away; but when the
plague ceased, he changed his mind again, end would not suffer them to
go.

2. But when God saw that he was ungrateful, and upon the ceasing of
this calamity would not grow wiser, he sent another plague upon the
Egyptians:--An innumerable multitude of frogs consumed the fruit of the
ground; the river was also full of them, insomuch that those who drew
water had it spoiled by the blood of these animals, as they died in, and
were destroyed by, the water; and the country was full of filthy slime,
as they were born, and as they died: they also spoiled their vessels
in their houses which they used, and were found among what they eat and
what they drank, and came in great numbers upon their beds. There was
also an ungrateful smell, and a stink arose from them, as they were
born, and as they died therein. Now, when the Egyptians were under the
oppression of these miseries, the king ordered Moses to take the Hebrews
with him, and be gone. Upon which the whole multitu