Exodus 10:22

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

Complete Jewish Bible:

Moshe reached out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days.

Berean Standard Bible:

So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days.

American Standard Version:

And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Moses^{H4872} stretched forth^{H5186} his hand^{H3027} toward heaven^{H8064}; and there was a thick^{H653} darkness^{H2822} in all the land^{H776} of Egypt^{H4714} three^{H7969} days^{H3117}:

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Commentary for Exodus 10:22

Exodus 10:22 is part of the narrative in the Hebrew Bible that describes the plagues of Egypt, which are central to the story of Moses and the Israelites' deliverance from slavery. In this verse, Moses, at God's command, stretches out his hand to initiate the ninth plague, a thick darkness that envelops the land of Egypt for three days. This darkness is not just a natural phenomenon; it is described as palpable, so intense and profound that it can be felt, a darkness that Egyptians could not dispel or escape from, emphasizing the omnipotence of the God of Israel over the Egyptian gods and Pharaoh himself.

The theme of the plagues, including this ninth one, serves multiple purposes in the biblical narrative. It showcases God's power and faithfulness to His promises, demonstrates His control over nature, and contrasts the fate of the Israelites, who are spared the plagues, with that of the Egyptians, who suffer the consequences of Pharaoh's hardened heart and refusal to let the Israelites go. Historically, this verse reflects the ancient cultural belief in divine intervention in the natural world and the power dynamics between deities and rulers. It also reinforces the idea of a covenant people, chosen by God, and sets the stage for the final and most devastating plague, the death of the firstborn, which ultimately leads to the Exodus. The darkness described in this verse is both literal and metaphorical, symbolizing the spiritual blindness and oppression that characterizes Egypt in contrast to the light and freedom that the Israelites will soon experience.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H4872
   There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
   Transliteration: Môsheh
   Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
   Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses.
   
2. Strong's Number: H5186
   There are 207 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָטָה
   Transliteration: nâṭâh
   Pronunciation: naw-taw'
   Description: a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application; [phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3027
   There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָד
   Transliteration: yâd
   Pronunciation: yawd
   Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
   
4. Strong's Number: H8064
   There are 395 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁמַיִם
   Transliteration: shâmayim
   Pronunciation: shaw-mah'-yim
   Description: dual of an unused singular שָׁמֶה; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve); air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).
   
5. Strong's Number: H653
   There are 90 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֲפֵלָה
   Transliteration: ʼăphêlâh
   Pronunciation: af-ay-law'
   Description: feminine of אָפֵל; duskiness, figuratively, misfortune; concrete, concealment; dark, darkness, gloominess, [idiom] thick.
   
6. Strong's Number: H2822
   There are 77 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חֹשֶׁךְ
   Transliteration: chôshek
   Pronunciation: kho-shek'
   Description: from חָשַׁךְ; the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness; dark(-ness), night, obscurity.
   
7. Strong's Number: H776
   There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶרֶץ
   Transliteration: ʼerets
   Pronunciation: eh'-rets
   Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
   
8. Strong's Number: H4714
   There are 602 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִצְרַיִם
   Transliteration: Mitsrayim
   Pronunciation: mits-rah'-yim
   Description: dual of מָצוֹר; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt; Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.
   
9. Strong's Number: H7969
   There are 381 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁלוֹשׁ
   Transliteration: shâlôwsh
   Pronunciation: shaw-loshe'
   Description: or שָׁלֹשׁ; masculine שְׁלוֹשָׁה; or שְׁלֹשָׁה; a primitive number; three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice; [phrase] fork, [phrase] often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, [phrase] thrice. Compare שָׁלִישׁ.
   
10. Strong's Number: H3117
    There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יוֹם
    Transliteration: yôwm
    Pronunciation: yome
    Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.