Exoduschapter 10

29 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 239 cross-references outward and receives 199 — heaviest partner: Exodus.

Chapter summary

Plagues eight and nine: locusts and darkness. The locusts devour what the hail left, covering the face of the whole earth until the land is darkened. Pharaoh's servants plead with him: ‘how long shall this man be a snare unto us? … knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?’ The locusts are driven into the Red Sea. Then three days of thick darkness — darkness that may be felt — while all the children of Israel have light in their dwellings. Pharaoh offers another partial concession; Moses refuses. ‘See my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.’ The stage is set for the last plague.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Exodus overview for the book's full setting.

1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them,

2 and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought upon Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am Jehovah.

3 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, 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, behold, to-morrow will I bring locusts into thy border:

5 and they shall cover the face of the earth, so that one shall not be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:

6 and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

7 And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve Jehovah their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve Jehovah your God; but who are they that shall go?

9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto Jehovah.