It was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled; and the heart of Par`oh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, *What is this we have done, that we have let Yisra'el go from serving us?*
The LORD said to Moshe, *When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Par`oh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
But Par`oh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring forth my armies, my people the children of Yisra'el, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
The LORD said to Moshe, *Tell Aharon, 'Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.'*
Moshe said, *Behold, I go out from you, and I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Par`oh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don't let Par`oh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.*
Then Par`oh called for Moshe and Aharon, and said, *Entreat the LORD, that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.*
Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see the LORD's majesty.
People were scorched with great heat, and people blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn't repent and give him glory.
The cows took the straight way by the way to Beit-Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Pelishtim went after them to the border of Beit-Shemesh.
They said, *If you send away the ark of the God of Yisra'el, don't send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.*
Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Par`oh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn't they let the people go, and they departed?
Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beit-Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us.*