English · CJB

Exodus10

The LORD instructs Moses to warn Pharaoh of a locust plague, explaining He has hardened Pharaoh's heart to display His power. After the devastating locusts cover Egypt, Pharaoh briefly repents but is again hardened by the LORD. Moses then brings a thick, palpable darkness upon Egypt for three days, yet Pharaoh remains obstinate, ultimately threatening Moses's life for further demands.

The Purpose of the Plagues and the Locust Warning

1
ADONAI said to Moshe, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have made him and his servants hardhearted, so that I can demonstrate these signs of mine among them, ​
2
so that you can tell your son and grandson about what I did to Egypt and about my signs that I demonstrated among them, and so that you will all know that I am ADONAI." ​
3
Moshe and Aharon went in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Here is what ADONAI, God of the Hebrews, says: 'How much longer will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so that they can worship me. ​
4
Otherwise, if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory.
5
One won't be able to see the ground, so completely will the locusts cover it. They will eat anything you still have that escaped the hail, including every tree you have growing in the field.
6
They will fill your houses and those of your servants and of all the Egyptians. It will be like nothing your fathers or their fathers have ever seen since the day they were born until today.'"Then he turned his back and left.
7
Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How much longer must this fellow be a snare for us? Let the people go and worship ADONAI their God. Don't you understand yet that Egypt is being destroyed?" ​
8
So Moshe and Aharon were brought to Pharaoh again, and he said to them, "Go, worship ADONAI your God. But who exactly is going?"
9
Moshe answered, "We will go with our young and our old, our sons and our daughters; and we will go with our flocks and herds; for we must celebrate a feast to ADONAI." ​
10
Pharaoh said to them, "ADONAI certainly will be with you if I ever let you go with your children! It's clear that you are up to no good.
11
Nothing doing! Just the men among you may go and worship ADONAI. That's what you want, isn't it?"And they were driven out of Pharaoh's presence.

The Plague of Locusts

12
ADONAI said to Moshe, "Reach out your hand over the land of Egypt, so that locusts will invade the land and eat every plant that the hail has left."
13
Moshe reached out with his staff over the land of Egypt, and ADONAI caused an east wind to blow on the land all day and all night; and in the morning the east wind brought the locusts.
14
The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and settled throughout Egypt's territory. It was an invasion more severe than there had ever been before or will ever be again. ​
15
They completely covered the ground, so that the ground looked black. They ate every plant growing from the ground and all the fruit of the trees left by the hail. Not one green thing remained, not a tree and not a plant in the field, in all the land of Egypt.
16
Pharaoh hurried to summon Moshe and Aharon and said, "I have sinned against ADONAI your God and against you.
17
Now, therefore, please forgive my sin just this once; and intercede with ADONAI your God, so that he will at least take away from me this deadly plague!" ​
18
He went out from Pharaoh and interceded with ADONAI.
19
ADONAI reversed the wind and made it blow very strongly from the west. It took up the locusts and drove them into the Sea of Suf; not one locust remained on Egyptian soil.
20
But ADONAI made Pharaoh hardhearted, and he didn't let the people of Isra'el go. ​

The Plague of Darkness

21
ADONAI said to Moshe, "Reach out your hand toward the sky, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness so thick it can be felt!" ​
22
Moshe reached out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days.
23
People couldn't see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the people of Isra'el had light in their homes. ​
24
Pharaoh summoned Moshe and said, "Go, worship ADONAI; only leave your flocks and herds behind - your children may go with you."
25
Moshe answered, "You must also see to it that we have sacrifices and burnt offerings, so that we can sacrifice to ADONAI our God.
26
Our livestock will also go with us - not a hoof will be left behind - because we must choose some of them to worship ADONAI our God, and we don't know which ones we will need to worship ADONAI until we get there." ​
27
But ADONAI made Pharaoh hardhearted, and he would not let them go.
28
Pharaoh said to them, "Get away from me! And you had better not see my face again, because the day you see my face, you will die!" ​
29
Moshe answered, "Well spoken! I will see your face no more."

Study Notes for Exodus 10

Verse 1

God explicitly states the purpose of the ongoing resistance: to demonstrate divine power (signs) and ensure that future generations of Israel know who the LORD is.

Verse 2

This verse emphasizes the didactic purpose of the plagues. The events are not just about liberation, but about establishing an enduring testimony of God's sovereignty for Israel's descendants.

Verse 3

Moses challenges Pharaoh's pride. In biblical thought, humbling oneself is necessary for submission and obedience to God’s will, a concept Pharaoh repeatedly resists.

Verse 7

This shows the political and economic pressure mounting on Pharaoh. His own court recognizes that Egypt is already ruined ('destroyed') and advises him to concede before total catastrophe.

Verse 9

Moses rejects any partial compliance. The requirement to bring 'all' (young, old, flocks, herds) signifies that the devotion and service required by the LORD is comprehensive, leaving nothing behind in Egypt.

Verse 14

The description of the locust plague as unprecedented ('before them there were no such locusts... neither after them shall be such') highlights the extraordinary nature of God's judgment, surpassing natural ecological disasters.

Verse 17

Pharaoh's confession of sin (v. 16) and his plea here is motivated by fear of the immediate consequence ('this death'), not genuine spiritual repentance, making his request conditional and temporary.

Verse 20

This verse reiterates the theme of divine hardening, confirming that Pharaoh's temporary repentance was not lasting, serving God's ultimate purpose of demonstrating power through the final judgments.

Verse 21

The ninth plague, darkness that 'may be felt,' was likely a severe sandstorm (khamsin) intensified by divine power, targeting Ra, the Egyptian sun god, demonstrating the LORD's supremacy over the Egyptian pantheon.

Verse 23

The distinction between the dark land of Egypt and the light in Goshen emphasizes the selective nature of God's judgment, protecting His people even while judgment falls around them.

Verse 26

Moses insists that the livestock must go because they do not yet know the exact sacrifices required by the LORD. This ensures Israel remains fully detached from Egypt and dependent solely on God for future instruction.

Verse 28

Pharaoh’s final command marks the end of all negotiation. His threat of execution sets the stage for the final, decisive plague (the death of the firstborn) detailed in the next chapter.

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