10 7 Pharoah’s servants counsel him to let the Israelites depart. 13 Grasshoppers destroy the country. 16 Pharaoh confesseth his sin. 22 Darkness is sent.
1 Again the Lord said unto Moses, Go to Pharaoh, (A)for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might work these [a]my miracles in the midst of his realm,
2 And that thou mayest declare in the [b]ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have done in Egypt, and my miracles, which I have done among them: that ye may know that I am the Lord.
3 Then came Moses and Aaron unto Pharaoh, and they said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse [c]to humble thyself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.
4 But if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow will I bring [d]grasshoppers into thy coasts.
5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that a man cannot see the earth: and they shall eat the residue which remaineth unto you, and hath escaped from the hail: and they shall eat all your trees that bud in the field.
6 And they shall fill thine houses, and all thy servants’ houses, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the time they were upon the earth unto this day. So he returned, and went out from Pharaoh.
7 Then Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall he be [e]an [f]offence unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: wilt thou first know that Egypt is destroyed?
8 So Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh, and he said unto them, Go, serve the Lord your God, but who are they that shall go?
9 And Moses answered, We will go with our young, and with our old, with our sons, and with our daughters, with our sheep, and with our cattle will we go: for we must celebrate a feast unto the Lord.
10 And he said unto them, Let [g]the Lord so be with you, as I will let you go and your children: [h]behold, for evil is before your face.
11 It shall not be so: now go ye that are men, and serve the Lord: for that was your desire. Then they were thrust out from Pharaoh’s presence.
12 ¶ After, the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand upon the land of Egypt for the grasshoppers, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat all the herbs of the land, even all that the hail had left.
13 Then Moses stretched forth his rod upon the land of Egypt: and the Lord brought an East wind upon the land all that day, and all that night: and in the morning the East wind brought the [i]grasshoppers.
14 So the grasshoppers went up upon all the land of Egypt, and [j]remained in all quarters of Egypt: so grievous Grasshoppers, like to these were never before, neither after them shall be such.
15 For they covered all the face of the earth, so that the land was dark: and they did eat all the herbs of the land, and all the fruits of the trees, which the hail had left, so that there was no green thing left upon the trees, nor among the herbs of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.
16 Therefore Pharaoh called for [k]Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.
17 And now forgive me my sin only this once, and pray unto the Lord your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
18 Moses then went out from Pharaoh, and prayed unto the Lord.
19 And the Lord turned a mighty strong West wind, and took away the grasshoppers, and violently cast them into the [l]red Sea, so that there remained not one grasshopper in all the land of Egypt.
20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
21 ¶ Again the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be upon the land of Egypt darkness, even darkness that may be [m]felt.
22 Then Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven, and there was a [n]black darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
23 No man saw another, neither rose up from the place where he was for three days: but all the children of Israel had light where they dwelt.
24 Then Pharaoh called for Moses, and said, Go serve the Lord: only your sheep and your cattle shall abide, and your children shall go with you.
25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices, and burnt offerings that we may do sacrifice unto the Lord our God.
26 Therefore our cattle also shall go with us: there shall not an [o]hoof be left, for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God: neither do we know [p]how we shall serve the Lord, until we come thither.
27 (But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.)
28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me: look thou see my face no more: for whensoever thou comest in my sight, thou shalt [q]die.
29 Then Moses said, Thou hast said well: from henceforth will I see thy face no more.
Footnotes
- Exodus 10:1 Or, in his presence, or among them.
- Exodus 10:2 The miracles should be so great, that they should be spoken of for ever: where also we see the duty of parents toward their children.
- Exodus 10:3 The end of affliction is, to humble ourselves with true repentance under the hand of God.
- Exodus 10:4 Or, locusts.
- Exodus 10:7 Or, snare.
- Exodus 10:7 Meaning, the occasion of all these evils: so are the godly ever charged as Elijah was by Ahab.
- Exodus 10:10 That is, I would the Lord were no more affectioned toward you, than I am minded to let you go.
- Exodus 10:10 Punishment is prepared for you. Some read, Ye intend some mischief.
- Exodus 10:13 The eighth plague.
- Exodus 10:14 Or, he caused them to remain.
- Exodus 10:16 The wicked in their miseries seek to God’s ministers for help, albeit they hate and detest them.
- Exodus 10:19 The water seemed red, because the sand or gravel is red: the Hebrews called it the Sea of bulrushes.
- Exodus 10:21 Because it was so thick.
- Exodus 10:22 The ninth plague.
- Exodus 10:26 The ministers of God ought not to yield one iota to the wicked, as touching their charge.
- Exodus 10:26 That is, with what beasts, or how many.
- Exodus 10:28 Though before he confessed Moses just, yet again his own conscience he threateneth to put him to death.