Shemot 10:1-20

1 0 And Hashem said unto Moshe, Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his lev, and the lev of his avadim, that I might show these My otot before him;
2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy ben, and of thy ben’s ben, what things I have wrought in Mitzrayim, and My otot which I have done among them; that ye may have da’as that I am Hashem.
3 And Moshe and Aharon came in unto Pharaoh,and said unto him, Thus saith Hashem Elohei HaIvrim, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
4 Else, if thou refuse to let My people go, hineni, tomorrow will I bring the arbeh into thy border;
5 And they shall cover the face of ha’aretz, that one cannot be able to see ha’aretz; and they shall devour the remnant of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the barad, and shall eat kol haetz which groweth for you out of the sadeh;
6 And they shall fill thy batim (houses), and the batim (houses) of all thy avadim, and the batim (houses) of kol Mitzrayim; which neither thy avot, nor the avot of thy avot have seen, since the day that they were upon ha’aretz unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.
7 And Pharaoh’s avadim said unto him, How long shall this man be a mokesh (snare) unto us? Let the anashim go, that they may serve Hashem Eloheihem; knowest thou not yet that Mitzrayim is destroyed?
8 And Moshe and Aharon were brought again unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them, Go, serve Hashem Eloheichem; but who are they that shall go?
9 And Moshe said, We will go with ne’areinu and with zekeinu, with baneinu and with benoteinu, with tzoneinu and with bekareinu (our herds) will we go; for Chag Hashem lanu.
10 And he said unto them, Hashem will indeed be with you, if ever I let you go, and your little ones; look to it, evil [intent] is before you.
11 Not so; go now ye that are gevarim, and serve Hashem; for that ye did request. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
12 And Hashem said unto Moshe, Stretch out thine yad over Eretz Mitzrayim for the arbeh, that they may come up upon Eretz Mitzrayim, and devour kol esev ha’aretz, even all that the barad hath left as remnant.
13 And Moshe stretched forth his matteh over Eretz Mitzrayim, and Hashem brought a ruach kadim upon the land all that yom, and all that lailah; and when it was boker, the ruach hakadim brought the arbeh.
14 And the arbeh went up over kol Eretz Mitzrayim, and rested on the entire border of Mitzrayim: very grievous were they; before them there were no such arbeh as they, neither after them shall be such.
15 For they covered the kol ha’aretz, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat kol esev ha’aretz, and kol p’ri haetz which the barad had left as remnant; and there remained not any yerek baetz, or in the esev hasadeh, through kol Eretz Mitzrayim.
16 Then Pharaoh called for Moshe and Aharon in haste; and he said, chatati (I have sinned) against Hashem Eloheichem, and against you.
17 Therefore forgive, now, my sin only this once, and entreat Hashem Eloheichem, that He would only take away from me this mavet.
18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated Hashem.
19 And Hashem turned a west ruach chazak me’od, which took away the arbeh, and cast them into the Yam Suf; there remained not one arbeh in all the borders of Mitzrayim.
20 But Hashem hardened lev Pharaoh, so that he would not let the Bnei Yisroel go.

Shemot 10:1-20 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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