The governor obeyed. Then the poor Israelites blamed Moses and Aaron. Moses went to God with the great burden of care now upon him. He was now eighty years of age, and the care weighed upon him most heavily. "All this I do know," the Lord said. "But have trust in me. I have heard the groanings of my people. I remember the covenant that I made with Abraham, and I will bring the people out from Egypt into the land of Canaan." [Illustration: MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH.] THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. Yet think not thou, amidst thy warlike bands, They lie beyond redemption in thine hands. The God in whom they trust may help them still, They know He _can_ deliver, and He _will_: Whether by life or death afflicts them not; On His decree, not thine, they rest their lot. --_Montgomery._ God gave to Moses and Aaron power to do wonderful things, miraculous things, that through them Pharaoh might know that the power of God was with them. Aaron went before Pharaoh, and, throwing down his rod before him, it turned to a serpent. But Pharaoh only laughed. "My wise men can do as much," he said. So he called them. They also did in like manner, but the rod of Aaron swallowed up the rods of Pharaoh's wise men. Now, it is the river Nile that makes Egypt the fertile, fruitful country that it is. Without it Egypt would be a burning desert. The Egyptians well knew this. One day Moses went down to the waters, and, stretching his rod out over them, turned them to blood. The people were frightened. The fish died; and no man could drink of the water. Then Moses stretched out his rod again across the water; and behold thousands upon thousands of frogs came up out of the water. They infested the land. The houses were full of them. They sprang upon the banquet table of the king; and when he went to bed they were there also. Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and said, "Take away these horrible frogs, and I will set thy people free." Moses raised his rod again, and the frogs disappeared. There was rest in the land again. But when they were gone, Pharaoh hardened his heart again. He would not let the Israelites go. "Stretch forth thy rod again," came the word of God to Moses. He stretched forth his rod, and another plague fell upon the country. The ground was covered with lice, and the lice swarmed upon the animals and upon the people. Then Moses went to Pharaoh and said, "Let my people go; but if thou wilt not, I will send flies upon thee and upon thy people; but I will send no flies upon the Israelites." But Pharaoh would not listen. And the flies came--wasps and biting insects. But none of these came near the Israelites, though about the homes of the Egyptians they swarmed until Pharaoh, beside himself with torment, called upon Moses to deliver him from the plague, promising again to free the people of Israel.