Exodus 10
Big idea: The pressure now comes from inside Pharaoh's own court. Locusts are announced with a new purpose — that you may tell your son and your son's son what I have done — and before they arrive his servants ask the question nobody has dared: how long will this man be a snare to us? Don't you yet know that Egypt is destroyed? Twice Pharaoh tries to negotiate the terms of worship: only the men may go, then everyone but the livestock. Moses refuses both — we will go with our young and our old, our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds, and not a hoof shall be left behind. Between the two comes a darkness that could be felt, three days in which nobody rose from his place, while all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Chapter 10 ends with Pharaoh throwing Moses out and swearing he will never see his face again — and Moses agreeing. Chapter 11 is what Moses says before he goes: the announcement of the last plague.
10:1–11 — How long will this man be a snare?
God explains the hardening to Moses in terms of memory: I have hardened his heart and his servants' hearts, that I may show these signs, and that you may tell your son and your grandson what I have done in Egypt — that you may know I am Yahweh. Moses warns of locusts that will cover the land and eat what the hail left. Pharaoh's own servants break first: how long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go and serve Yahweh their God — don't you yet know that Egypt is destroyed? Moses and Aaron are brought back, and Pharaoh asks who exactly will go. Moses says everyone, young and old, sons and daughters, flocks and herds — and Pharaoh refuses and drives them out of his presence.
1 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs among them; 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh.” 3 Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, 5 and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field. 6 Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh. 7 Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don’t you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” 8 Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?” 9 Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. We will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh.” 10 He said to them, “Yahweh be with you if I let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces. 11 Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!” Then they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
10:12–20 — The locusts
Moses stretches out his rod and Yahweh brings an east wind all that day and night; by morning the locusts have come. They cover the surface of the whole land so that it is darkened, and eat every plant and all the fruit the hail left — nothing green remains in tree or field through all Egypt. Pharaoh calls Moses and Aaron in haste: I have sinned against Yahweh your God and against you; please forgive my sin just this once, and pray that he take away this death. A strong west wind carries every locust into the Red Sea. And Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
12 Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left.” 13 Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, nor will there ever be again. 15 For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, “I have sinned against Yahweh your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death.” 18 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. 19 Yahweh sent an exceedingly strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt. 20 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go.
10:21–29 — A darkness that could be felt
Moses stretches out his hand toward the sky and a thick darkness covers Egypt for three days — darkness that can be felt. Nobody sees anyone else, and nobody rises from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel have light in their dwellings. Pharaoh makes his last offer: go, serve Yahweh, only leave your flocks and herds — your little ones may go with you. Moses refuses completely: you must give us sacrifices too; our livestock goes with us, not a hoof left behind, for we don't know what we must serve Yahweh with until we get there. Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he throws Moses out and says, see my face no more — in the day you see my face you shall die. And Moses answers, you have spoken well; I will see your face again no more.
21 Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.” 22 Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23 They didn’t see one another, and nobody rose from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24 Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve Yahweh. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with you.” 25 Moses said, “You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God. 26 Our livestock also shall go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind, for of it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don’t know with what we must serve Yahweh, until we come there.” 27 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!” 29 Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more.”
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).