Q³ v 1-6. Warning given.
w 7-11. Reception by Pharaoh's servants (parley).
v 12-15. Warning carried out.
w 16-20. Reception by Pharaoh (parley).
1491 B.C.
Exodus 10)
1 And the Lord said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these My signs before him:
2 And that you may tell in the ears of your son, and of your son's son, what things I have worked in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that you all may know how that I am the Lord."
3 And 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? (= depression of spirit rather than softening of heart. "to cry out" as conscious of suffering. A man may be humbled without humbling himself) let My People go (Yahaveh's 4th demand), that they may serve Me.
4 Else, if you refuse to let My People go, behold, tomorrow will I bring the locusts into your coast (or borders. Cp. Joel 2:1-10, an Rev.9:3-11):
5 And they shall cover the face of the earth (Heb. "eye of the earth" Fig., eye put for what is seen by it), that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field:
6 And they shall fill your houses, and 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 upon the earth unto this day.' " And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.
7 And 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: don't you know yet that Egypt is destroyed?"
8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh: and he said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go?" (Pharaoh's answer to Yahaveh's 4th demand in v.3, see 5:1)
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 (Moses knew nothing of forsaking Egypt and leaving the little ones behind. Note the spiritual lesson: and cp. Eph. 6:4 and Gen. 7:1); for we must hold a feast to the Lord."
10 And he said to them, "Let the Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. (Fig., evil put for death, threatened in v.28.)
11 Not so: go now all you that are men, and serve the Lord (this was Pharaoh's first objection to Yahaveh's 5th demand); for that you all did desire." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
12 And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left."
13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, "I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.
17 Now therefore forgive, I pray you, my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only." (Fig., death put for the plague which caused it.)
18 So Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord.
19 And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind (locust are always brought by east wind and carried away by west wind), which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts (= bounds or borders) of Egypt.
20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart (again this is stated, cp. 4:21), so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
R³ x 21. Yahaveh's command (no warning).
y 22,23. Infliction of Plague.
y 24-26. Reception of Plague.
x 27-29. Yahaveh's hardening.21 And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt (1st of 4 instances of darkness in judgment. Ex. 10:22. Matt. 27:45. Jude 13. Rev. 16:10), even darkness which may be felt."
22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
23 They did not see one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
24 And Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, "Go you all, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed (Pharaoh's 2nd objection to Yahaveh's 5th and final demand in 10:9): let your little ones also go with you."
25 And Moses said, "You must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind ("hoof" put for whole animal); for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God; and we know not with what we must serve the Lord (note the contrast between "you" of v.25 and the "we" of v.26), until we come to that place." (Note the spiritual lesson. Not until we leave the world can we have a true conception of Yahaveh's requirements: "if any man do His will he shall know of the doctrine"-John 7:17)
27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
28 And Pharaoh said to him, "Get you from me (11 kings and rulers thus offended. #11 = disorganization. Here. Num. 24:11. 1 Kings 13:4; 22:27. 2 Kings 5:12. 2 Chron. 16:10; 24:21. Jer. 26:21; 32:3. Matt. 14:3), take heed to yourself, see my face no more; for in that day you see my face you shall die.
29 And Moses said, "You have spoken well, I will see your face again no more." (Moses did not leave Pharaoh's presence till 11:8. Fig., anticipating what is going to be, and speaking of future things as present.)