Éxodo 10

1 Plaga de langostas
Entonces el Señor
le dijo a Moisés: «Regresa a ver al faraón y vuelve a presentar tus demandas. Yo hice que él y sus funcionarios se pusieran tercos
con el fin de mostrar mis señales milagrosas en medio de ellos.

2 También lo hice para que ustedes pudieran contarles a sus hijos y a sus nietos acerca de cómo puse en ridículo a los egipcios, acerca de las señales que realicé en medio de ellos, y para que ustedes sepan que yo soy el Señor
».

3 Así que Moisés y Aarón fueron ante el faraón y le dijeron: «Esto dice el Señor
, Dios de los hebreos: “¿Hasta cuándo te negarás a someterte a mí? Deja ir a mi pueblo para que me adore.

4 Si te niegas, ¡ten cuidado! Pues mañana mismo traeré sobre tu tierra una plaga de langostas.

5 Cubrirán la tierra de tal manera que no podrás ver el suelo. Devorarán lo poquito que quedó después de la granizada, junto con todos los árboles que crecen en el campo.

6 Invadirán tus palacios y los hogares de tus funcionarios y todas las casas de Egipto. ¡Jamás en la historia de Egipto vieron tus antepasados una plaga como esta!”». Después de decir esas palabras, Moisés dio media vuelta y salió de la presencia del faraón.

7 Esta vez los funcionarios del faraón se le acercaron y le suplicaron: «¿Hasta cuándo permitirás que este hombre nos tenga como rehenes? ¡Deja que los hombres se vayan a adorar al Señor
su Dios! ¿Acaso no te das cuenta de que Egipto está en ruinas?».

8 Entonces hicieron volver a Moisés y a Aarón ante el faraón.
—Está bien —les dijo—, vayan a adorar al Señor
su Dios. Pero ¿exactamente quiénes irán con ustedes?

9 —Iremos todos —contestó Moisés—: jóvenes y mayores, nuestros hijos y nuestras hijas, y nuestros rebaños y nuestras manadas. Debemos unirnos todos para celebrar un festival al Señor
.

10 El faraón replicó:
—¡Verdaderamente necesitarán que el Señor
esté con ustedes si dejo que se lleven a sus hijos pequeños! Me doy cuenta de que tienen malas intenciones.

11 ¡Jamás! Solo los hombres pueden ir a adorar al Señor
, ya que eso es lo que pidieron.
Entonces el faraón los echó del palacio.

12 Así que el Señor
le dijo a Moisés: «Extiende tu mano sobre la tierra de Egipto para que vengan las langostas. Que cubran la tierra y devoren todas las plantas que sobrevivieron la granizada».

13 Moisés extendió su vara sobre Egipto, y el Señor
hizo que un viento del oriente soplara sobre el territorio todo ese día y también durante toda la noche. A la mañana siguiente, el viento del oriente había traído las langostas.

14 Estas invadieron toda la tierra de Egipto en densos enjambres, y se asentaron desde un extremo del territorio hasta el otro. Fue la peor plaga de langostas en la historia de Egipto, y jamás hubo otra igual;

15 pues las langostas cubrieron todo el reino y oscurecieron la tierra. Devoraron todas las plantas del campo y todos los frutos de los árboles que sobrevivieron al granizo. No quedó ni una sola hoja en los árboles ni en las plantas en toda la tierra de Egipto.

16 Entonces el faraón mandó llamar a Moisés y a Aarón de inmediato. «He pecado contra el Señor
su Dios y contra ustedes —les confesó—.

17 Perdonen mi pecado una vez más, y rueguen al Señor
su Dios para que aleje de mí esta muerte».

18 Moisés salió del palacio del faraón y rogó al Señor
.

19 El Señor
le respondió y cambió la dirección del viento, y el viento fuerte del occidente se llevó las langostas y las echó en el mar Rojo.
No quedó ni una sola langosta en toda la tierra de Egipto.

20 Pero el Señor
nuevamente endureció el corazón del faraón, por lo cual no dejó salir al pueblo.

21 Plaga de tinieblas
Luego el Señor
le dijo a Moisés: «Extiende tu mano hacia el cielo, y la tierra de Egipto quedará en una oscuridad tan densa que podrá palparse».

22 Entonces Moisés extendió su mano hacia los cielos, y una densa oscuridad cubrió toda la tierra de Egipto por tres días.

23 Durante todo ese tiempo las personas no pudieron verse unas a otras ni se movieron. Sin embargo, la luz no faltó en ningún momento donde vivían los israelitas.

24 Finalmente el faraón llamó a Moisés y le dijo:
—Vayan a adorar al Señor
, pero dejen aquí sus rebaños y sus manadas. Sin embargo, pueden llevarse a sus hijos pequeños.

25 —¡De ninguna manera! —respondió Moisés—. Tú debes proveernos de animales para los sacrificios y las ofrendas quemadas que presentaremos al Señor
nuestro Dios.

26 Todos nuestros animales deberán ir con nosotros; ni una sola pezuña puede quedar atrás. Tendremos que seleccionar nuestros sacrificios para el Señor
nuestro Dios de entre esos animales, y solo sabremos cómo vamos a adorar al Señor
una vez que estemos allí.

27 Pero el Señor
endureció el corazón del faraón una vez más, y no quiso dejarlos salir.

28 —¡Lárgate de aquí! —le gritó el faraón a Moisés—. Te advierto: ¡jamás regreses a verme! El día que me veas la cara, ¡morirás!

29 —Muy bien —respondió Moisés—. ¡Nunca más volveré a verte!

Éxodo 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The plague of locusts threatened, Pharaoh, moved by his servants, inclines to let the Israelites go. (1-11) The plague of locusts. (12-20) The plague of thick darkness. (21-29)

Verses 1-11 The plagues of Egypt show the sinfulness of sin. They warn the children of men not to strive with their Maker. Pharaoh had pretended to humble himself; but no account was made of it, for he was not sincere therein. The plague of locusts is threatened. This should be much worse than any of that kind which had ever been known. Pharaoh's attendants persuade him to come to terms with Moses. Hereupon Pharaoh will allow the men to go, falsely pretending that this was all they desired. He swears that they shall not remove their little ones. Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children to serve him. He is a sworn enemy to early piety. Whatever would put us from engaging our children in God's service, we have reason to suspect Satan in it. Nor should the young forget that the Lord's counsel is, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth; but Satan's counsel is, to keep children in a state of slavery to sin and to the world. Mark that the great foe of man wishes to retain him by the ties of affection, as Pharaoh would have taken hostages from the Israelites for their return, by holding their wives and children in captivity. Satan is willing to share our duty and our service with the Saviour, because the Saviour will not accept those terms.

Verses 12-20 God bids Moses stretch out his hand; locusts came at the call. An army might more easily have been resisted than this host of insects. Who then is able to stand before the great God? They covered the face of the earth, and ate up the fruit of it. Herbs grow for the service of man; yet when God pleases, insects shall plunder him, and eat the bread out of his mouth. Let our labour be, not for the habitation and meat thus exposed, but for those which endure to eternal life. Pharaoh employs Moses and Aaron to pray for him. There are those, who, in distress, seek the help of other people's prayers, but have no mind to pray for themselves. They show thereby that they have no true love to God, nor any delight in communion with him. Pharaoh desires only that this death might be taken away, not this sin. He wishes to get rid of the plague of locusts, not the plague of a hard heart, which was more dangerous. An east wind brought the locusts, a west wind carries them off. Whatever point the wind is in, it is fulfilling God's word, and turns by his counsel. The wind bloweth where it listeth, as to us; but not so as it respects God. It was also an argument for their repentance; for by this it appeared that God is ready to forgive, and swift to show mercy. If he does this upon the outward tokens of humiliation, what will he do if we are sincere! Oh that this goodness of God might lead us to repentance! Pharaoh returned to his resolution again, not to let the people go. Those who have often baffled their convictions, are justly given up to the lusts of their hearts.

Verses 21-29 The plague of darkness brought upon Egypt was a dreadful plague. It was darkness which might be felt, so thick were the fogs. It astonished and terrified. It continued three days; six nights in one; so long the most lightsome palaces were dungeons. Now Pharaoh had time to consider, if he would have improved it. Spiritual darkness is spiritual bondage; while Satan blinds men's eyes that they see not, he binds their hands and feet, that they work not for God, nor move toward heaven. They sit in darkness. It was righteous with God thus to punish. The blindness of their minds brought upon them this darkness of the air; never was mind so blinded as Pharaoh's, never was air so darkened as Egypt. Let us dread the consequences of sin; if three days of darkness were so dreadful, what will everlasting darkness be? The children of Israel, at the same time, had light in their dwellings. We must not think we share in common mercies as a matter of course, and therefore that we owe no thanks to God for them. It shows the particular favour he bears to his people. Wherever there is an Israelite indeed, though in this dark world, there is light, there is a child of light. When God made this difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians, who would not have preferred the poor cottage of an Israelite to the fine palace of an Egyptian? There is a real difference between the house of the wicked, which is under a curse, and the habitation of the just, which is blessed. Pharaoh renewed the treaty with Moses and Aaron, and consented they should take their little ones, but would have their cattle left. It is common for sinners to bargain with God Almighty; thus they try to mock him, but they deceive themselves. The terms of reconciliation with God are so fixed, that though men dispute them ever so long, they cannot possibly alter them, or bring them lower. We must come to the demand of God's will; we cannot expect he should condescend to the terms our lusts would make. With ourselves and our children, we must devote all our worldly possessions to the service of God; we know not what use he will make of any part of what we have. Pharaoh broke off the conference abruptly, and resolved to treat no more. Had he forgotten how often he had sent for Moses to ease him of his plagues? and must he now be bid to come no more? Vain malice! to threaten him with death, who was armed with such power! What will not hardness of heart, and contempt of God's word and commandments, bring men to! After this, Moses came no more till he was sent for. When men drive God's word from them, he justly gives them up to their own delusions.

Chapter Summary

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.