Exodus 10:12-22

12 The LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand over Egypt. Locusts will cover the land. They will eat up everything that is growing in the fields. They will eat up everything that was left by the hail."
13 So Moses reached his wooden staff out over Egypt. Then the LORD made an east wind blow across the land. It blew all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts.
14 They came into every part of Egypt. They settled down in every area of the country in large numbers. There had never been a plague of locusts like it before. And there will never be one like it again.
15 The locusts covered the ground until it was black. They ate up everything that was left after the hail. They ate up everything that was growing in the fields. They ate up the fruit on the trees. There was nothing green left on any tree or plant in the whole land of Egypt.
16 Pharaoh quickly sent for Moses and Aaron. He said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God. I've also sinned against you.
17 Now forgive my sin one more time. Pray to the LORD your God to take this deadly plague away from me."
18 After Moses left Pharaoh, he prayed to the Lord.
19 The LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind. The wind picked up the locusts. It blew them into the Red Sea. Not even one locust was left anywhere in Egypt.
20 But the LORD made Pharaoh's heart stubborn. And Pharaoh wouldn't let the people of Israel go.

The Plague of Darkness

21 The LORD spoke to Moses. He said, "Reach out your hand toward the sky. Darkness will spread over Egypt. It will be so dark that people can feel it."
22 So Moses reached out his hand toward the sky. Then complete darkness covered Egypt for three days.

Exodus 10:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 10

This chapter is introduced with giving the reasons why the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, Ex 10:1,2. 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, Ex 10:3-6, 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, Ex 10:7-11 wherefore the locusts were brought on all the land, which made sad devastation in it, Ex 10:12-15, 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, Ex 10:16-20 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, Ex 10:21-26. 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, Ex 10:27-29.

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