Exodus10
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them,
2and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought upon Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am Jehovah.
3And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
4Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to-morrow will I bring locusts into thy border:
5and they shall cover the face of the earth, so that one shall not be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:
6and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh.
7And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve Jehovah their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?
8And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve Jehovah your God; but who are they that shall go?
9And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto Jehovah.
10And he said unto them, So be Jehovah with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.
11Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve Jehovah; for that is what ye desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
12And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
13And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Jehovah brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
14And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt; very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
15For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against Jehovah your God, and against you.
17Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat Jehovah your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
18And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated Jehovah.
19And Jehovah turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust in all the border of Egypt.
20But Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
21And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
22And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;
23they saw not one another, neither rose any one from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
24And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve Jehovah; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.
25And Moses said, Thou must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto Jehovah our God.
26Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve Jehovah our God; and we know not with what we must serve Jehovah, until we come thither.
27But Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
28And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in the day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
29And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no more.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 10.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The plague of locusts threatened, Pharaoh, moved by his servants, inclines to let the Israelites go. (1–11). The plague of locusts. (12–20). The plague of thick darkness. (21–29).
vv1-11
The plagues of Egypt show the sinfulness of sin. They warn the children of men not to strive with their Maker. Pharaoh had pretended to humble himself; but no account was made of it, for he was not sincere therein. The plague of locusts is threatened. This should be much worse than any of that kind which had ever been known. Pharaoh's attendants persuade him to come to terms with Moses. Hereupon Pharaoh will allow the men to go, falsely pretending that this was all they desired. He swears that they shall not remove their little ones. Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children to serve him. He is a sworn enemy to early piety. Whatever would put us from engaging our children in God's service, we have reason to suspect Satan in it. Nor should the young forget that the Lord's counsel is, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth; but Satan's counsel is, to keep children in a state of slavery to sin and to the world. Mark that the great foe of man wishes to retain him by the ties of affection, as Pharaoh would have taken hostages from the Israelites for their return, by holding their wives and children in captivity. Satan is willing to share our duty and our service with the Saviour, because the Saviour will not accept those terms.
vv12-20
God bids Moses stretch out his hand; locusts came at the call. An army might more easily have been resisted than this host of insects. Who then is able to stand before the great God? They covered the face of the earth, and ate up the fruit of it. Herbs grow for the service of man; yet when God pleases, insects shall plunder him, and eat the bread out of his mouth. Let our labour be, not for the habitation and meat thus exposed, but for those which endure to eternal life. Pharaoh employs Moses and Aaron to pray for him. There are those, who, in distress, seek the help of other people's prayers, but have no mind to pray for themselves. They show thereby that they have no true love to God, nor any delight in communion with him. Pharaoh desires only that this death might be taken away, not this sin. He wishes to get rid of the plague of locusts, not the plague of a hard heart, which was more dangerous. An east wind brought the locusts, a west wind carries them off. Whatever point the wind is in, it is fulfilling God's word, and turns by his counsel. The wind bloweth where it listeth, as to us; but not so as it respects God. It was also an argument for their repentance; for by this it appeared that God is ready to forgive, and swift to show mercy. If he does this upon the outward tokens of humiliation, what will he do if we are sincere! Oh that this goodness of God might lead us to repentance! Pharaoh returned to his resolution again, not to let the people go. Those who have often baffled their convictions, are justly given up to the lusts of their hearts.
vv21-29
The plague of darkness brought upon Egypt was a dreadful plague. It was darkness which might be felt, so thick were the fogs. It astonished and terrified. It continued three days; six nights in one; so long the most lightsome palaces were dungeons. Now Pharaoh had time to consider, if he would have improved it. Spiritual darkness is spiritual bondage; while Satan blinds men's eyes that they see not, he binds their hands and feet, that they work not for God, nor move toward heaven. They sit in darkness. It was righteous with God thus to punish. The blindness of their minds brought upon them this darkness of the air; never was mind so blinded as Pharaoh's, never was air so darkened as Egypt. Let us dread the consequences of sin; if three days of darkness were so dreadful, what will everlasting darkness be? The children of Israel, at the same time, had light in their dwellings. We must not think we share in common mercies as a matter of course, and therefore that we owe no thanks to God for them. It shows the particular favour he bears to his people. Wherever there is an Israelite indeed, though in this dark world, there is light, there is a child of light. When God made this difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians, who would not have preferred the poor cottage of an Israelite to the fine palace of an Egyptian? There is a real difference between the house of the wicked, which is under a curse, and the habitation of the just, which is blessed. Pharaoh renewed the treaty with Moses and Aaron, and consented they should take their little ones, but would have their cattle left. It is common for sinners to bargain with God Almighty; thus they try to mock him, but they deceive themselves. The terms of reconciliation with God are so fixed, that though men dispute them ever so long, they cannot possibly alter them, or bring them lower. We must come to the demand of God's will; we cannot expect he should condescend to the terms our lusts would make. With ourselves and our children, we must devote all our worldly possessions to the service of God; we know not what use he will make of any part of what we have. Pharaoh broke off the conference abruptly, and resolved to treat no more. Had he forgotten how often he had sent for Moses to ease him of his plagues? and must he now be bid to come no more? Vain malice! to threaten him with death, who was armed with such power! What will not hardness of heart, and contempt of God's word and commandments, bring men to! After this, Moses came no more till he was sent for. When men drive God's word from them, he justly gives them up to their own delusions.
Key Words
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
פַּרְעֹה: Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings
כָּבַד: to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable; causatively, to make weighty (in the same two senses)
לֵב: the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
עֶבֶד: a servant
מִיכָא: Mica, the name of two Israelites
שִׁית: to place (in a very wide application)
אוֹת: a signal (literally or figuratively), as aflag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.
Cross References
Exodus 10Joel describes an unprecedented locust plague in terms directly matching the severity and uniqueness of Exodus 10.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, having seen his face for the last time.
Paul's central theological commentary on God hardening Pharaoh's heart to show His power.
Supported by John Calvin
Pharaoh's servants call Moses a snare; Exodus 23 warns that false worship/compromise becomes a snare.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies the sovereign use of the east wind as a divine instrument of judgment and deliverance.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct historical summary of God sending darkness upon Egypt and they rebelled not against his word.
The fifth vial poured out on the seat of the beast, making his kingdom full of darkness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God's explicit command to tell sons about the redemption from Egypt to foster perpetual remembrance.
Supported by John Calvin
Historical poetic summary of God speaking, causing the locusts to come upon Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel use of a divinely directed east wind from Arabia, here bringing quail rather than locusts.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Repeats the immediate preceding instance of God hardening Pharaoh's heart after the plague of locusts.
Supported by John Calvin
Summary statement of Moses and Aaron doing these wonders, and God hardening Pharaoh's heart.
The final warning and announcement of the death of the firstborn delivered during this same final audience.
Prophetic parallel of total vegetation stripping by relentless, successive waves of destructive insects.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Pharaoh's superficial, repeated confession of sin under the immediate terror of judgment.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repeated pattern of Pharaoh begging for intercession under pressure without a change of heart.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The dramatic removal of the locust army, cast away into the sea by divine command.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes the pattern of God severing the land of Goshen, where His people dwell, from plagues.
Supported by JFB
Parallel protection where only in the land of Goshen was there no hail.
Supported by JFB
The pillar of cloud was darkness to the Egyptians but gave light by night to Israel.
Matches the 'unprecedented, never-seen-before' nature of the plagues, later repeated for the firstborn.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Fulfillment of Moses' total demand; Pharaoh eventually lets everyone go, including children and herds.
Supported by JFB
A parallel description of locusts turning a land like Eden into a desolate wilderness.
Supported by JFB
Prophetic typology of darkness covering the earth while the Lord's glory rises and shines upon His people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Pharaoh's previous compromise attempt, demanding they not go very far away, now restricting their flocks.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Pharaoh finally surrenders fully, letting both the people and their flocks go as Moses demanded.
Verbal echo of 'this death only' in reference to agricultural/physical threat of famine and poison.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses previously insisted they must go three days' journey to sacrifice as God commands.
A rebellious king silencing God's prophet with threats of violence, sealing his own destruction.