all the children of Israel. Moses, who was
not eloquent, but had a slow speech,[49:4] uses Aaron as his
spokesman.[49:5] They then appear unto Pharaoh, and falsify, "_according
to the commands of the Lord_," saying: "Let us go, we pray thee, _three
days' journey in the desert_, and sacrifice unto the Lord our
God."[49:6]

The Lord hardens Pharaoh's heart, so that he does not let the children
of Israel go to sacrifice unto their God, in the desert.

Moses and Aaron continue interceding with him, however, and, for the
purpose of showing their miraculous powers, they change their rods into
serpents, the river into blood, cause a plague of frogs and lice, and a
swarm of flies, &c., &c., to appear. Most of these feats were imitated
by the magicians of Egypt. Finally, the first-born of Egypt are slain,
when Pharaoh, after having had his heart hardened, by the Lord, over and
over again, consents to let Moses and the children of Israel go to serve
their God, _as they had said_, that is, for _three_ days.

The Lord having given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians,
they borrowed of them jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment,
"_according to the commands of the Lord_." And they journeyed toward
Succoth, there being _six hundred thousand, besides children_.[50:1]

"And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in
Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before
them by day, _in a pillar of a cloud_, to lead them the way;
and by night _in a pillar of fire_, to give them light to go
by day and night."[50:2]

"And it was told the king of Egypt, that the people fled. . . .
And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him.
And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots
of Egypt, . . . and he pursued after the children of Israel,
and overtook them encamping beside the sea. . . . And when
Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel . . . were sore
afraid, and . . . (they) cried out unto the Lord. . . . And
the Lord said unto Moses, . . . speak unto the children of
Israel, that they go forward. But lift thou up thy rod, and
stretch out thine hand over the Red Sea, and divide it, and
the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the
midst of the sea. . . . And Moses stretched out his hand over
the sea,[50:3] and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a
strong east wind t