Exodus 10:10-20

10 And he sayde vnto them: shall it be soo? The Lorde be with you, shulde I lett you goo, and youre childern also? Take heede, for ye haue some myschefe in honde.

11 Nay not so: but goo ye that are men and serue the Lorde, for that was youre desyre. And they thrust the out of Pharaos presence.

12 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moses: Stretch out thine hande ouer the lande of Egipte for greshoppers, that they come apon the lande of Egipte and eate all the herbes of the londe, ad all that the hayle left vntouched.

13 And Moses stretched forth his rodd ouer the londe off Egipte, ad the Lorde brought an east wynde vppo the lande, all that daye and all nyghte. And in the mornynge the east wynde broughte the greshoppers,

14 ad the greshoppers wet vp ouer all the lande of Egipte and lighted in all quarters off Egipte verye greuously: so that before them were there no soch greshoppers, nether after them shal be.

15 And they couered all the face of the erth, so that the londe was darke therwith. And they ate all the herbes of the lande and all the frutes of the trees which the hayle had lefte: so that there was no grene thinge lefte in the trees and herbes of the felde thorow all the lande of Egipte.

16 Then Pharao called for Moses and Aaro in haste and sayde: I haue synned agaynst the Lorde youre God and agaynst you.

17 Forgeue me yet my synne only this once, and pray vnto the Lorde youre God that he maye take away fro me this deth only.

18 And he wet out fro Pharao ad prayd vnto the Lorde,

19 ad the Lord turned the wynde in to a myghtie stronge west wynde, and it toke awaye the greshoppers and cast the in to the reed see: so that there was not one greshopper left in all the costes of Egipte

20 But the Lorde hardened Pharaos herte, so that he wold not let the childern off Israel goo

Exodus 10:10-20 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.