Exodus10
New Living Translation
1Then the Lord said to Moses, “Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can display my miraculous signs among them.
2I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the Lord.”
3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me.
4If you refuse, watch out! For tomorrow I will bring a swarm of locusts on your country.
5They will cover the land so that you won’t be able to see the ground. They will devour what little is left of your crops after the hailstorm, including all the trees growing in the fields.
6They will overrun your palaces and the homes of your officials and all the houses in Egypt. Never in the history of Egypt have your ancestors seen a plague like this one!” And with that, Moses turned and left Pharaoh.
7Pharaoh’s officials now came to Pharaoh and appealed to him. “How long will you let this man hold us hostage? Let the men go to worship the Lord their God! Don’t you realize that Egypt lies in ruins?”
8So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “All right,” he told them, “go and worship the Lord your God. But who exactly will be going with you?”
9Moses replied, “We will all go—young and old, our sons and daughters, and our flocks and herds. We must all join together in celebrating a festival to the Lord.”
10Pharaoh retorted, “The Lord will certainly need to be with you if I let you take your little ones! I can see through your evil plan.
11Never! Only the men may go and worship the Lord, since that is what you requested.” And Pharaoh threw them out of the palace.
12Then the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring on the locusts. Let them cover the land and devour every plant that survived the hailstorm.”
13So Moses raised his staff over Egypt, and the Lord caused an east wind to blow over the land all that day and through the night. When morning arrived, the east wind had brought the locusts.
14And the locusts swarmed over the whole land of Egypt, settling in dense swarms from one end of the country to the other. It was the worst locust plague in Egyptian history, and there has never been another one like it.
15For the locusts covered the whole country and darkened the land. They devoured every plant in the fields and all the fruit on the trees that had survived the hailstorm. Not a single leaf was left on the trees and plants throughout the land of Egypt.
16Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you,” he confessed.
17“Forgive my sin, just this once, and plead with the Lord your God to take away this death from me.”
18So Moses left Pharaoh’s court and pleaded with the Lord.
19The Lord responded by shifting the wind, and the strong west wind blew the locusts into the Red Sea. Not a single locust remained in all the land of Egypt.
20But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart again, so he refused to let the people go.
21Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward heaven, and the land of Egypt will be covered with a darkness so thick you can feel it.”
22So Moses lifted his hand to the sky, and a deep darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days.
23During all that time the people could not see each other, and no one moved. But there was light as usual where the people of Israel lived.
24Finally, Pharaoh called for Moses. “Go and worship the Lord,” he said. “But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you.”
25“No,” Moses said, “you must provide us with animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord our God.
26All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind. We must choose our sacrifices for the Lord our God from among these animals. And we won’t know how we are to worship the Lord until we get there.”
27But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more, and he would not let them go.
28“Get out of here!” Pharaoh shouted at Moses. “I’m warning you. Never come back to see me again! The day you see my face, you will die!”
29“Very well,” Moses replied. “I will never see your face again.”
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.