Exodus 10:1-10

1 The LORD said to Moshe, "Go in to Par`oh, 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 Mitzrayim, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am the LORD."

3 Moshe and Aharon went in to Par`oh, and said to him, "This is what the LORD, 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 eretz, so that one won't be able to see the eretz. 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 Mitzrim; as neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the eretz to this day.'" He turned, and went out from Par`oh.

7 Par`oh's servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD, their God. Don't you yet know that Mitzrayim is destroyed?

8 Moshe and Aharon were brought again to Par`oh, and he said to them, "Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are those who will go?"

9 Moshe 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 the LORD."

10 He said to them, "The LORD be with you if I will let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces.

Exodus 10:1-10 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.