Exodus 10

Chapter 10

A Plague of Locusts

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubbornt so I can display my miraculous signs among them.

2 I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the LORD.”
3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me.4 If you refuse, watch out! For tomorrow I will bring a swarm of locusts on your country.5 They will cover the land so that you won’t be able to see the ground. They will devour what little is left of your crops after the hailstorm, including all the trees growing in the fields.

6 They will overrun your palaces and the homes of your officials and all the houses in Egypt. Never in the history of Egypt have your ancestors seen a plague like this one!” And with that, Moses turned and left Pharaoh.

7 Pharaoh’s officials now came to Pharaoh and appealed to him. “How long will you let this man hold us hostage? Let the men go to worship the LORD their God! Don’t you realize that Egypt lies in ruins?”

8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “All right,” he told them, “go and worship the LORD your God. But who exactly will be going with you?”

9 Moses replied, “We will all go—young and old, our sons and daughters, and our flocks and herds. We must all join together in celebrating a festival to the LORD.”
10 Pharaoh retorted, “The LORD will certainly need to be with you if I let you take your little ones! I can see through your evil plan.

11 Never! Only the men may go and worship the LORD, since that is what you requested.” And Pharaoh threw them out of the palace.

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring on the locusts. Let them cover the land and devour every plant that survived the hailstorm.”
13 So Moses raised his staff over Egypt, and the LORD caused an east wind to blow over the land all that day and through the night. When morning arrived, the east wind had brought the locusts.14 And the locusts swarmed over the whole land of Egypt, settling in dense swarms from one end of the country to the other. It was the worst locust plague in Egyptian history, and there has never been another one like it.

15 For the locusts covered the whole country and darkened the land. They devoured every plant in the fields and all the fruit on the trees that had survived the hailstorm. Not a single leaf was left on the trees and plants throughout the land of Egypt.
16 Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you,” he confessed.

17 “Forgive my sin, just this once, and plead with the LORD your God to take away this death from me.”
18 So Moses left Pharaoh’s court and pleaded with the LORD.19 The LORD responded by shifting the wind, and the strong west wind blew the locusts into the Red Sea.t Not a single locust remained in all the land of Egypt.

20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart again, so he refused to let the people go.

A Plague of Darkness

21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward heaven, and the land of Egypt will be covered with a darkness so thick you can feel it.”22 So Moses lifted his hand to the sky, and a deep darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days.

23 During all that time the people could not see each other, and no one moved. But there was light as usual where the people of Israel lived.

24 Finally, Pharaoh called for Moses. “Go and worship the LORD,” he said. “But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you.”
25 “No,” Moses said, “you must provide us with animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to the LORD our God.

26 All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind. We must choose our sacrifices for the LORD our God from among these animals. And we won’t know how we are to worship the LORD until we get there.”
27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more, and he would not let them go.

28 “Get out of here!” Pharaoh shouted at Moses. “I’m warning you. Never come back to see me again! The day you see my face, you will die!”

29 “Very well,” Moses replied. “I will never see your face again.”

EXODUS 10

Locusts

1 The [Lord] said to Moses:
Go back to the king.t I have made him and his officials stubborn, so that I could work these miracles.

2 I did this because I want you to tell your children and your grandchildren about my miracles and about my harsh treatment of the Egyptians. Then all of you will know that I am the [Lord].

3 Moses and Aaron went to the king and told him that the [Lord] God of the Hebrews had said:
How long will you stubbornly refuse to obey? Release my people so they can worship me. 4 Do this by tomorrow, or I will cover your country with so many locustst 5 that you won't be able to see the ground. Most of your crops were ruined by the hailstones, but these locusts will destroy what little is left, including the trees.

6 Your palace, the homes of your officials, and all the other houses in Egypt will overflow with more locusts than have ever been seen in this country.
After Moses left the palace,

7 the king's officials asked, “Your Majesty, how much longer is this man going to be a troublemaker? Why don't you let the people leave, so they can worship the [Lord] their God? Don't you know that Egypt is a disaster?”

8 The king had Moses and Aaron brought back, and he said, “All right, you may go and worship the [Lord] your God. But first tell me who will be going.”

9 “Everyone, young and old,” Moses answered. “We will even take our sheep, goats, and cattle, because we want to hold a celebration in honor of the [Lord].”
10 The king replied, “The [Lord] had better watch over you on the day I let you leave with your families! You're up to no good.

11 Do you want to worship the [Lord]? All right, take only the men and go.” Then Moses and Aaron were chased out of the palace.

12 The [Lord] told Moses, “Stretch your arm toward Egypt. Swarms of locusts will come and eat everything left by the hail.”
13 Moses held out his walking stick, and the [Lord] sent an east wind that blew across Egypt the rest of the day and all that night. By morning, locusts 14 t were swarming everywhere. Never before had there been so many locusts in Egypt, and never again will there be so many.

15 The ground was black with locusts, and they ate everything left on the trees and in the fields. Nothing green remained in Egypt—not a tree or a plant.
16 At once the king sent for Moses and Aaron. He told them, “I have sinned against the [Lord] your God and against you.

17 Forgive me one more time and ask the [Lord] to stop these insects from killing every living plant.”
18 Moses left the palace and prayed. 19 Then the [Lord] sent a strong west windt that swept the locusts into the Red Sea.t Not one locust was left anywhere in Egypt,

20 but the [Lord] made the king so stubborn that he still refused to let the Israelites go.

Darkness

23 During that time, the Egyptians could not see each other or leave their homes, but there was light where the Israelites lived.

24 The kingt sent for Moses and told him, “Go worship the [Lord]! And take your families with you. Just leave your sheep, goats, and cattle.”
25 “No!” Moses replied. “You must let us offer sacrifices to the [Lord] our God,

26 and we won't know which animals we will need until we get there. That's why we can't leave even one of them here.”
27 This time the [Lord] made the king so stubborn

28 that he said to Moses, “Get out and stay out! If you ever come back, you're dead!”
29 “Have it your way,” Moses answered. “You won't see me again.”