Exodus 10

King James Version

Full text for Exodus Chapter 10

1¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:

2And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I [am] the LORD.

3And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

4Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:

5And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot 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:

6And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy 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.

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

8And 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?

9And 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 the LORD.

10And he said unto 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.

11Not so: go now ye [that are] men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.

12¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine 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.

13And 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.

14And 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.

15For 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.

16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.

17Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

18And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.

19And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

21¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness [which] may be felt.

22And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

23They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

24And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.

25And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

26Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.

27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.

28And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in [that] day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

29And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The LORD instructs Moses to warn Pharaoh of a locust plague, explaining He has hardened Pharaoh's heart to display His power. After the devastating locusts cover Egypt, Pharaoh briefly repents but is again hardened by the LORD. Moses then brings a thick, palpable darkness upon Egypt for three days, yet Pharaoh remains obstinate, ultimately threatening Moses's life for further demands.

Medium Summary

Exodus 10 opens with the LORD declaring His intent to harden Pharaoh's heart, so His signs might be shown and His identity known to future generations. Moses and Aaron warn Pharaoh of an unprecedented locust plague if he refuses to release all Israelites. Despite his servants urging compliance, Pharaoh only offers to let the men go, which Moses rejects, insisting all people and livestock must depart. The LORD then sends a vast locust swarm that devours all remaining vegetation and darkens the land, leading Pharaoh to confess his sin and beg for relief. Though the locusts are removed, the LORD again hardens Pharaoh's heart. Subsequently, a three-day, palpable darkness covers Egypt, yet Pharaoh's resolve remains unbroken, culminating in a death threat against Moses if he appears again.

Long Summary

The chapter begins with the LORD instructing Moses to confront Pharaoh, explicitly stating His purpose in hardening Pharaoh's heart is to display His signs and ensure that future generations of Israel understand His omnipotence. Moses and Aaron deliver the LORD's demand for Israel's release, warning Pharaoh of an impending, unprecedented locust plague that will consume all vegetation spared by the previous hail and infest all Egyptian homes. Pharaoh's own servants, witnessing Egypt's devastation, urge him to let the Israelites go. Pharaoh then attempts to negotiate, offering to release only the men, but Moses firmly insists that all, including the old, young, sons, daughters, flocks, and herds, must depart to serve the LORD. Pharaoh rejects this, driving Moses and Aaron from his presence. Consequently, Moses stretches forth his rod, and an east wind brings a colossal swarm of locusts that covers the entire land, darkening it and consuming every green thing. Overwhelmed, Pharaoh hastily calls Moses and Aaron, confessing his sin and pleading for the plague's removal. Moses intercedes, and a west wind sweeps the locusts into the Red Sea, leaving none behind. However, the LORD again hardens Pharaoh's heart, preventing Israel's departure. The LORD then commands Moses to bring a third plague: a thick, palpable darkness that engulfs Egypt for three days, rendering movement impossible for Egyptians, while the children of Israel enjoy light in their dwellings. Pharaoh again summons Moses, offering to let the people and children go, but demanding the livestock remain. Moses steadfastly refuses, asserting that not a single hoof shall be left behind, as they require all their cattle for sacrifices to the LORD. The LORD once more hardens Pharaoh's heart, and he refuses to yield. In a final, enraged exchange, Pharaoh threatens Moses with death if he ever sees his face again, to which Moses agrees, declaring he will not see Pharaoh's face again.

Core Concepts

  • Divine HardeningThe LORD repeatedly hardens Pharaoh's heart, explicitly stating this action is to demonstrate His power and signs to Egypt and to ensure future generations of Israel know He is the LORD.
  • Purpose of PlaguesThe plagues serve as divine demonstrations of the LORD's authority and might, intended to compel Pharaoh to release Israel and to establish God's identity for both the Egyptians and the Israelites.
  • Locust PlagueAn unprecedented and devastating swarm of locusts, brought by an east wind, that covers the entire land of Egypt, consuming all remaining vegetation and darkening the earth.
  • Palpable DarknessA unique plague of thick darkness that covers Egypt for three days, so intense that it could be "felt," preventing Egyptians from moving, while the Israelites experienced light.
  • Pharaoh's ResistanceDespite the escalating severity of the plagues and the pleas of his own servants, Pharaoh repeatedly refuses to fully comply with God's demands, only offering partial concessions.
  • Moses's Unwavering DemandMoses consistently insists on the complete departure of all Israelites—men, women, children, and all their livestock—emphasizing that they must go to serve the LORD and offer sacrifices.
  • Egypt's DestructionThe cumulative effect of the plagues, particularly the locusts, leads to the near-total destruction of Egypt's agricultural resources and inflicts severe hardship upon its inhabitants.