Green fields and date palms in the Nile delta at dawn, and on the far eastern horizon a low brown haze moving in like a cloud of dust.

The Book of

Exodus 10

The hail left a little green in Egypt. Now an east wind is blowing, and after it comes a darkness so deep no one can move.

29 verses≈ 6 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–6Slaves in EgyptOppression and a deliverer
7–13The plaguesThe LORD against PharaohChapter 10
14–18Through the seaRescued and led
19–24At SinaiThe covenant and the law
25–31A place to dwellThe tabernacle planned
32–40Broken and renewedThe calf, mercy, the glory

The Eighth Plague: Locusts

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials, that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them, and that you may tell your children and grandchildren how severely I dealt with the Egyptians when I performed miraculous signs among them, so that all of you may know that I am the LORD.”

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Egyptian fields at evening after the hail, barley beaten flat and flax shredded, a few trees and the young wheat still green, a farmer standing among them looking east.

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told 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, so that they may worship Me. But if you refuse to let My people go, I will bring locusts into your territory tomorrow. They will cover the face of the land so that no one can see it. They will devour whatever is left after the hail and eat every tree that grows in your fields. They will fill your houses and the houses of all your officials and every Egyptian—something neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen since the day they came into this land.’” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh’s presence.

0:39

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pharaoh's officials

Pharaoh's officials

Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt lies in ruins?”

So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh.

Pharaoh

“Go, worship the LORD your God,” he said. “But who exactly will be going?”

Moses

“We will go with our young and old,” Moses replied. “We will go with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.”

Pharaoh

Then Pharaoh told them, “May the LORD be with you if I ever let you go with your little ones. Clearly you are bent on evil. No, only the men may go and worship the LORD, since that is what you have been requesting.”

And Moses and Aaron were driven from Pharaoh’s presence.

Reflect

Tell your children

God told Moses why these plagues were happening: “that you may tell your children and grandchildren how severely I dealt with the Egyptians.” The story was meant to be retold at Israel’s tables for generations. And when Pharaoh asked who would go, Moses answered, “We will go with our young and old.” Who are the younger ones in your life: children, grandchildren, nieces, students, new believers? Write down one thing God has done that you want them to know, and when you could tell them.

Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. Now please forgive my sin once more and appeal to the LORD your God, that He may remove this death from me.”

So Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and appealed to the LORD. And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind that carried off the locusts and blew them into the Red Sea.

Exodus 10:19

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

Question

Quick question

The locusts came and went on the wind.

What brought the locusts into Egypt?

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness may spread over the land of Egypt—a palpable darkness.”

So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else, and for three days no one left his place. Yet all the Israelites had light in their dwellings.

Pharaoh

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the LORD. Even your little ones may go with you; only your flocks and herds must stay behind.”

Moses

But Moses replied, “You must also provide us with sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God. Even our livestock must go with us; not a hoof will be left behind, for we will need some of them to worship the LORD our God, and we will not know how we are to worship the LORD until we arrive.”

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was unwilling to let them go.

Pharaoh

“Depart from me!” Pharaoh said to Moses. “Make sure you never see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you will die.”

Moses

“As you say,” Moses replied, “I will never see your face again.”

Yet all the Israelites had light in their dwellings.

Exodus 10:23

Pray

Light in the dark

For three days Egypt sat in a darkness so total that “No one could see anyone else.” “Yet all the Israelites had light in their dwellings.” The same God who sent the dark kept His people in the light. Thank Him for the light He has given you. Then pray by name for someone you know who is sitting in the dark, that God would bring them into His light.

Pharaoh’s bargains

Whiteboard

Every time a plague hurt, Pharaoh offered a deal, and every deal kept a hold on Israel: sacrifice here in Egypt, don’t go far, leave the children, leave the flocks. Moses never traded down. God’s terms were set from the start: “We will go with our young and old,” and “not a hoof will be left behind.” Pharaoh gave way only after the last plague.

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Exodus 10

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A verse to carry with you

Yet all the Israelites had light in their dwellings.

Exodus 10:23

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