God told Moses to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. So he and his brother Aaron went to the Pharaoh to ask permission for the Israelites to go out of Egypt in order to hold a feast in honor of the Lord as ordered by God.
The Pharaoh said, "Why should I obey the Lord? I do not know him. I will not let the Israelites go."
When Moses reported this to the Lord, He said, "Now see what I will do to the Pharaoh. Go back. When the Pharaoh shall say, 'Show me a miracle', say to Aaron, 'Take your rod and cast it on the floor, and it shall become a serpent.'"
Moses and Aaron went back to the Pharaoh and everything happened as the Lord described. Then the Pharaoh called his wise men and sorcerers who did in like manner with their enchantments. So he refuses to let the Israelites go.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to the Pharaoh who goes to the water in the morning. Say to him, 'Send the Israelites to honor the Lord out of Egypt. To show that He is the Lord, Aaron will strike the water with my rod and the water shall be turned to blood.'"
Moses and Aaron did what God told them bu the magicians of Egypt did the same and the Pharaoh did not let the Israelites go.
A week later the Lord sent again Moses to say, "If you will not let the Israelites go, I will smite the land with frogs." And this happened.
The Pharaoh asked Moses to entreat the Lord to destroy the frogs after which he would let the Israelites go. Moses did; but when the frogs died the Pharaoh forgot his promises and would not let the people go.
So the Lord, through Moses, sent more plagues in Eqypt; lice, flies, locusts, three days of darkness. Each time the Pharaoh broke his promise after promising to let the people go.
So the Lord said, "Moses, I will send one more plague in Egypt. After it the Pharaoh will let you go. Tell all Israel; 'On the tenth of this month every house must have a lamb without blemish. On the fourteenth day, each family shall kill its lamb in the evening. They shall mark the outer doorposts of their houses with the blood of the lamb; then roast the meat and feast on it. When I pass through Egypt and kill all the first-born of man and beast, the blood on the post is a sign that I will passover them and no first-born will die therein.'" The children of Israel went home and did as they were told.
At midnight the Lord killed all the first-born in Egypt and there was a great mourning in the land. Even the prince died. So the Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Rise, go away with all your flocks and herds." The Egyptians wanted them to leaved at once also. They gave the Israelites jewels of silver, and gold, and clothes. At last the children left Egypt after four hundred thirty years of slavery.
This is the Passover, the greatest feast of the Jews.
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