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 in the midst of 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; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh." 10 He said to them, "Yahweh be with you if I will 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!" They were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. 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 forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all the 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, neither after them shall be such. 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 He went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. 19 Yahweh 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 borders of Egypt. 20 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he didn't let the children of Israel go. 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 forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They didn't see one another, neither did anyone rise 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."
Moses is again sent to Pharaoh, and expostulates with him on his refusal to let the Hebrews go, Exodus 10:1-3. The eighth plague, viz., of locusts, is threatened, Exodus 10:4. The extent and oppressive nature of this plague, Exodus 10:5, Exodus 10:6. Pharaoh's servants counsel him to dismiss the Hebrews, Exodus 10:7. He calls for Moses and Aaron, and inquires who they are of the Hebrews who wish to go, Exodus 10:8. Moses having answered that the whole people, with their flocks and herds must go and hold a feast to the Lord, Exodus 10:9, Pharaoh is enraged, and having granted permission only to the men, drives Moses and Aaron from his presence, Exodus 10:10, Exodus 10:11. Moses is commanded to stretch out his hand and bring the locusts, Exodus 10:12. He does so, and an east wind is sent, which, blowing all that day and night, brings the locusts the next morning, Exodus 10:13. The devastation occasioned by these insects, Exodus 10:14, Exodus 10:15. Pharaoh is humbled, acknowledges his sin, and begs Moses to intercede with Jehovah for him, Exodus 10:16, Exodus 10:17. Moses does so, and at his request a strong west wind is sent, which carries all the locusts to the Red Sea, Exodus 10:18, Exodus 10:19. Pharaoh's heart is again hardened, Exodus 10:20. Moses is commanded to bring the ninth plague of extraordinary darkness over all the land of Egypt, Exodus 10:21. The nature, duration, and effects of this, Exodus 10:22, Exodus 10:23. Pharaoh, again humbled, consents to let the people go, provided they leave their cattle behind, Exodus 10:24. Moses insists on having all their cattle, because of the sacrifices which they must make to the Lord, Exodus 10:25, Exodus 10:26. Pharaoh, again hardened, refuses, Exodus 10:27. Orders Moses from his presence, and threatens him with death should he ever return, Exodus 10:28. Moses departs with the promise of returning no more, Exodus 10:29.
INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 10
This chapter is introduced with giving the reasons why the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, Exodus 10:1. Moses and Aaron go in to him, and once more demanded in the name of the Lord the dismission of the people of Israel, and in case of refusal, threatened him with locusts being sent into his country, which should make terrible havoc in all his coasts, Exodus 10:3, the servants of Pharaoh entreat him to let them go, upon which Moses and Aaron are brought in again, and treated with about the terms of their departure; but they, insisting upon taking all with them, men, women, and children, and flocks and herds, and Pharaoh not willing that any but men should go, they are drove from his presence in wrath, Exodus 10:7 wherefore the locusts were brought on all the land, which made sad devastation in it, Exodus 10:12, and this wrought on Pharaoh so far as to acknowledge his sin, pray for forgiveness, and to desire Moses and Aaron to entreat the Lord to remove the plague, which they did, and it was removed accordingly, but still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, Exodus 10:16 then followed the plague of thick darkness over all the land for three days, which brought Pharaoh to yield that all should go with them excepting their flocks and herds; but Moses not only insisted that not a hoof should be left behind, but that Pharaoh should give them sacrifices and burnt offerings, Exodus 10:21. Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he refused to comply, and Moses was bid to be gone, and take care never to see his face any more, and which Moses agreed to, Exodus 10:27.
(Exodus 10:1-11) The plague of locusts threatened, Pharaoh, moved by his servants, inclines to let the Israelites go.
(Exodus 10:12-20) The plague of locusts.
(Exodus 10:21-29) The plague of thick darkness.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.