וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי׃
Und der Herr sprach zu Mose: Gehe hinein zu Pharao und rede zu ihm: Also spricht der Herr der Gott der Hebräer: entlasse mein Volk, dass sie mir dienen.
The Five Books of Moses, by Everett Fox
The Five Books of Moses, by Everett Fox
Although this plague spares humans, it is nevertheless described as “heavy” (v.3). The narrative uses a play-on-words as well: the Hebrew for pestilence (dever) echoes that for thing (davar).