Exodus 10:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts.

NIV: So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts;

NASB: So Moses reached out with his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

CSB: So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord sent an east wind over the land all that day and through the night. By morning the east wind had brought in the locusts.

NLT: 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.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: 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.

Locusts are a particular form taken on by grasshoppers. In this state, they become more aggressive, hungrier, driven to gather in swarms, and eager to breed. Relatively small groups quickly join, often forming enormous clouds of insatiable insects. Such plagues have consumed crops and created disaster for thousands of years. Here, Moses gives the signal (Exodus 10:12) to unleash the worst plague of locusts Egypt has ever seen (Exodus 10:4–6). This will take away what little was left after the recent hailstorm (Exodus 9:24–25, 31–32).

God uses a wind to bring the locusts into Egypt. This may have caused many large swarms to join into a single gigantic army. By the following morning (Exodus 10:4), Egypt is covered with so many locusts that they block out the sun. The Lord also works through His commands to Moses, such as gesturing with his staff (Exodus 8:6; 9:33). But only God's will and power create these events (Exodus 3:20; 10:1–2). Weather and prophets are just tools He uses to accomplish His will.

Moses' staff is a recurring object in the book of Exodus (Exodus 4:2, 20; 7:9, 15; 8:5, 16; 9:23; 14:16). Even after Israel leaves Egypt, this staff will feature in many key events (Exodus 17:5, 9).

Exodus 10:12–20 describes the eighth plague, an unimaginable cloud of locusts. These are grasshoppers which respond to weather patterns by spawning a generation of aggressive, hungry, fertile, insects who travel in close-packed swarms. This event is beyond anything ever seen before or since. Locusts completely cover the ground and eat every leaf, stem, and fruit which survived the plague of hail (Exodus 9:31–32). Pharaoh again begs for mercy, obtains it, and then goes back on his word to release the Israelites.

Moses warns Pharaoh that an eighth plague will come if the Hebrew slaves are not set free. This will be the worst locust invasion the nation will ever see. Pharaoh's advisors beg him to negotiate. He offers to release only Israelite men, which Moses rejects. The locust plague eradicates everything that survived the earlier hailstorm. Pharaoh pleads for relief, only to break his promise once again when the danger has passed. Next come three days of intense darkness. Pharaoh once again tries to arrange a partial release. When Moses refuses, Pharaoh threatens to kill him if he ever comes back.

Seven times, God has sent supernatural judgment against the nation of Egypt (Exodus 7—9). Each time, Pharaoh has refused to obey God's command to release the Israelite slaves. As a result, God will no longer give Pharaoh the ability to repent (Proverbs 29:1). Despite an epic, devastating locust invasion and three days of darkness, Pharaoh still refuses to submit. Rather, he threatens Moses with death. This will lead Moses to predict the last and worst of the ten plagues (Exodus 11). The tragic death of Egypt's firstborn during the Passover (Exodus 12) will finally lead to Israelite freedom.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.