Then the sorcerers cast down their rods, and they appeared to become serpents also. But while they were looking at them, Aaron's serpent swallowed the serpents of the sorcerers. But the work of the sorcerers was only a deception of their master, the devil. God only could really give life to the staff of Aaron. Neither the devil nor his servants can give life to anything. But the sorcerers had deceived the people and made their work look like God's work. By thus deceiving Pharaoh they destroyed the effect of God's miracle, and so the king's heart was hardened against letting Israel go. Satan is ever counterfeiting, or imitating, the work of God. He often makes his lies appear like God's truth. In this way he leads many away from God. Then God sent ten terrible plagues upon the land of Egypt. Each one was more awful than the one before it. They were sent to teach the Egyptians that the God of Israel was the only true God, and to punish them for refusing to obey Him. _The First Plague._--The River Nile, which they worshiped, was turned to blood. _Second Plague._--An army of frogs, which the Egyptians considered sacred, came up from the river. They went into all the houses, and even into the ovens and the troughs where they made their bread. _Third Plague._--The very dust of Egypt became lice on both man and beast. _Fourth Plague._--Swarms of flies came up until "the land was corrupted" because of them. _Fifth Plague._--A "grievous murrain" came upon the cattle, so that a great many of them died. _Sixth Plague._--Moses sprinkled dust into the air, and it became boils on man and beast. _Seventh Plague._--An awful hail, mingled with fire, smote the land, and killed all men and beasts that were not under shelter. _Eighth Plague._--Clouds of locusts came up and ate every green thing. _Ninth Plague._--"Darkness which might be felt" covered the land for three days. It was so dark that the people did not dare to go out of their houses. Through nine plagues Pharaoh's heart had remained hard and rebellious against God. Egypt was a ruined country because of this. Now the Lord told Moses that He would send one more plague, more terrible than all the others, and then they would be glad to let His people go. But before it came, the Hebrews were to "borrow" from the Egyptians "jewels of silver and jewels of gold." For many years they had toiled without wages. What they received at this time was only a partial payment for their long years of service. This silver and gold would be needed when they should build the tabernacle in the wilderness. _Tenth Plague._--At midnight the angel of the Lord was to pass through Egypt and slay the first-born in every house, and the first-born of beasts. None of the other plagues had come near to the land of Goshen where the children of Israel dwelt. But now they had a part to act or they would suffer with the Egyptians when the destroying angel should pass through the land.