Exodus Chapter 10 — The Plagues of Locusts and Darkness
God sends devastating swarms of locusts and a three-day thick darkness over Egypt as Pharaoh continues to resist Moses' demands.
1The LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs among them;
2and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am the LORD.”
3Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, 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.
4Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,
5and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. 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.
6Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’ ” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.
7Pharaoh’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 Egypt is destroyed?”
8Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are those who will go?”
9Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. We will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds; for we must hold a feast to the LORD.”
10He said to them, “The LORD be with you if I let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces.
11Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve the LORD; for that is what you desire!” Then they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
12The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left.”
13Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
14The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, nor will there ever be again.
15For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.
17Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to the LORD your God, that he may also take away from me this death.”
18Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to the LORD.
19The LORD sent an exceedingly strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea.*“Red Sea” is the translation for the Hebrew “Yam Suf”, which could be more literally translated “Sea of Reeds” or “Sea of Cattails”. It refers to the body of water currently known as the Red Sea, or possibly to one of the bodies of water connected to it or near it. There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt.
20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go.
21The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.”
22Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.
23They didn’t see one another, and nobody rose from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
24Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve the LORD. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with you.”
25Moses said, “You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
26Our livestock also shall go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind, for of it we must take to serve the LORD our God; and we don’t know with what we must serve the LORD, until we come there.”
27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let them go.
28Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!”
29Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more.”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Exodus 10:2
“and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am the LORD.”
It highlights the purpose of the plagues as a lasting testimony for future generations of the Israelites.
Exodus 10:21
“The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.””
It describes the supernatural and oppressive intensity of the ninth plague, which went beyond natural darkness.
Exodus 10:26
“Our livestock also shall go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind, for of it we must take to serve the LORD our God...”
This verse emphasizes Moses' refusal to compromise on the terms of the Israelites' departure and their total dedication to God.
Chapter Summary
In Exodus 10, God instructs Moses to return to Pharaoh to display further signs, emphasizing that these events should be recounted to future generations to demonstrate His power. Moses warns of a plague of locusts that will consume every green plant remaining after the previous hail. Though his own servants urge him to let the Israelites go, Pharaoh attempts to negotiate, offering to let only the men leave. In response, God sends an east wind bringing locusts that cover the land until no green remains. Pharaoh admits sin and asks for relief, but his heart is hardened again. God then sends a thick darkness over Egypt for three days, though the Israelites have light in their dwellings. Pharaoh offers to let the families go if they leave their livestock, but Moses insists that every animal must go to serve God. The chapter ends with Pharaoh threatening Moses with death if they ever meet again, to which Moses agrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
An east wind brought an unprecedented swarm of locusts that covered the surface of the earth and darkened the land. They ate every herb and fruit of the trees that had survived the earlier plague of hail, leaving nothing green in all of Egypt.
The thick darkness lasted for three days throughout the land of Egypt. During this time, the Egyptians could not see one another or leave their places, while the Israelites had light in their dwellings.
Pharaoh first suggested that only the men could go to serve the Lord. Later, during the darkness, he agreed to let the families go but insisted that their flocks and herds must stay behind, a condition Moses rejected.
Pharaoh tells Moses to get away and warns him that if he ever sees Pharaoh's face again, he will die. Moses agrees, stating that he will not see Pharaoh's face again.
Study Note
The phrase 'darkness which may be felt' in verse 21 suggests a physical or atmospheric quality to the ninth plague that distinguished it from a typical night or solar eclipse.
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