Exodus 10

In Exodus 10, we see two more devastating plagues that God sends upon Egypt as Pharaoh continues to resist letting the Israelites go. The eighth plague is locusts, which devour the crops and vegetation of Egypt, followed by the ninth plague, a thick and oppressive darkness that covers the land for three days. Despite the severity of these plagues, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, leading to further judgment.

Exodus 10:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him,
2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”
3 So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.’”

God informs Moses that He has allowed Pharaoh’s heart to remain hard in order to display His mighty works to all of Egypt, and so that future generations of Israelites would remember these acts of deliverance. Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh once again, demanding that he humble himself before God by releasing the Israelites. This confrontation highlights Pharaoh’s pride and resistance to God's command, while emphasizing the importance of passing down the story of God’s power to future generations.

Exodus 10:4-6 (NKJV)
4 Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory.
5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field.
6 They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh.

God warns Pharaoh of the impending plague of locusts, which will devastate Egypt even further by consuming the crops and vegetation that survived the previous plague of hail. The locusts will not only destroy the food sources but will invade homes and fill the land in a way that has never been seen before. This intensifies the suffering of Egypt, showing how the plagues progressively worsen as Pharaoh continues to resist God’s will.

Exodus 10:7-9 (NKJV)
7 Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”
8 So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?”
9 And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.”

Pharaoh’s officials, recognizing the severity of the situation, urge Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, seeing that Egypt is already in ruins. Pharaoh, however, is still not fully willing to release all the people and asks Moses who will go. Moses makes it clear that everyone—men, women, children, and their livestock—must go, as they all have a part in worshiping the Lord. This request highlights the total freedom that God demands for His people.

Exodus 10:10-11 (NKJV)
10 Then he said to them, “The Lord had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you.
11 Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

Pharaoh mocks Moses’ demand, insinuating that only the men should be allowed to go and that danger lies ahead if they attempt to take everyone. By refusing to let the women and children leave, Pharaoh tries to maintain control over the Israelites. His response reflects a partial surrender but not the full obedience God requires. Pharaoh’s hardened heart leads to him dismissing Moses and Aaron without considering their full request.

Exodus 10:12-15 (NKJV)
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.”
13 So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them.
15 For they covered the face 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. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.

Following Pharaoh’s refusal, God commands Moses to bring the locusts upon Egypt. Moses obeys, and God sends a wind that brings in a swarm of locusts like never before. The locusts devastate Egypt, consuming everything left after the hailstorm, leaving the land completely barren. This plague further demonstrates God’s power and the completeness of His judgment on Egypt’s land and economy, emphasizing that partial obedience will not suffice in the face of God’s commands.

Exodus 10:16-17 (NKJV)
16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.
17 Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only.”

In desperation, Pharaoh quickly calls for Moses and Aaron, admitting his sin and pleading for forgiveness. He asks them to pray to their God to remove the plague, acknowledging the severity of the situation. While Pharaoh’s words seem repentant, his actions in the past indicate that his repentance is not genuine. His plea for relief shows how the suffering of the plagues momentarily softens his heart, though it will not last.

Exodus 10:18-20 (NKJV)
18 So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord.
19 And the Lord turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt.
20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.

Moses intercedes, and God responds by sending a strong wind that drives the locusts into the Red Sea, clearing them from Egypt. However, despite the relief, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened once again, and he refuses to let the Israelites go. This repetition of hardening shows Pharaoh’s deep resistance to God’s authority, setting the stage for the final and most devastating plagues.

Exodus 10:21-23 (NKJV)
21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.”
22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
23 They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Following the plague of locusts, God commands Moses to bring a new plague—darkness. This darkness is so thick and oppressive that it can be physically felt. For three days, Egypt is plunged into total darkness, preventing anyone from moving about. Meanwhile, the Israelites are spared from this plague, enjoying light in their homes. This stark contrast highlights God’s protection over His people while judging Egypt, and it also symbolically represents spiritual blindness versus the light of God.

Exodus 10:24-26 (NKJV)
24 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.”
25 But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
26 Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.”

Pharaoh, once again relenting but not fully, agrees to let the Israelites go but tries to keep their livestock behind as a form of control. Moses insists that not only the people but also their livestock must go because they will need animals for sacrifices to worship the Lord. Moses’ firm response demonstrates that partial obedience is not acceptable; complete freedom to worship God as He commands is non-negotiable.

Exodus 10:27-29 (NKJV)
27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more, for in the day you see my face you shall die!”
29 So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”

Despite the severity of the plagues, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened once again, and he refuses to release the Israelites. In his anger, Pharaoh threatens Moses, declaring that if Moses appears before him again, he will be killed. Moses calmly agrees to this, knowing that God’s judgment is coming to its final and most decisive blow. This marks the end of Moses’ direct confrontations with Pharaoh, signaling that the ultimate plague, the death of the firstborn, is near.