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10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs among them; and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh.”

Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field. Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don’t you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”

Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?”

Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. We will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh.”

10 He said to them, “Yahweh be with you if I let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces. 11 Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!” Then they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

12 Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left.” 13 Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, nor will there ever be again. 15 For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb 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 Yahweh your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death.”

18 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. 19 Yahweh sent an exceedingly strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea.[a] There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt. 20 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:19 “Red Sea” is the translation for the Hebrew “Yam Suf”, which could be more literally translated “Sea of Reeds” or “Sea of Cattails”. It refers to the body of water currently known as the Red Sea, or possibly to one of the bodies of water connected to it or near it.

The Plague of Locusts

10 Then the Lord told Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I’ve hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials[a] in order to perform[b] these signs of mine among them,[c] so you may tell[d] your children and your grandchildren how I toyed with the Egyptians and about my miraculous signs that I performed among them, so all of you[e] may know that I am the Lord.

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the Lord God of the Hebrews says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so they may serve[f] me. But if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I’m going to bring locusts into your territory. They’ll cover the surface of the land so a person[g] cannot see the ground, and they’ll eat what is left for you of the residue from the hail. They’ll also eat all your trees that grow in the orchards. Your houses will be filled, along with the houses of all your officials[h] and the houses of all the Egyptians—something that neither your fathers nor your ancestors ever saw from the time they were on earth until now.’” Then Moses[i] turned and left Pharaoh’s presence.

Then the officials[j] of Pharaoh told him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go so they may serve the Lord their God! Don’t you realize yet that Egypt is about to be destroyed?”

Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh and he told them, “Go, serve[k] the Lord your God. But exactly who[l] will go?”

Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. We will go with our sons and our daughters, with our sheep and our cattle, because it’s a festival to the Lord for us.”

10 Then Pharaoh[m] told them, “The Lord will certainly[n] be with you if I let you and your little ones go. I know[o] some evil plan is in your mind.[p] 11 No! Let the men go and serve[q] the Lord, for that is what you were seeking.” Then they were driven out from the presence of Pharaoh.

12 The Lord told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt to bring[r] the locusts, and they’ll come up over the land of Egypt and eat all the vegetation of the land, everything that the hail left.” 13 Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord sent an east wind into the land all that day and throughout[s] the night. When morning came, the east wind brought the locusts.

14 The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on all the territory of Egypt in great swarms.[t] There had never been locusts like this before nor would there ever be again. 15 They covered the surface of the entire land so that it[u] was dark. They ate all the vegetation of the land and the fruit from the trees that the hail left. Nothing green was left on the trees or on the vegetation in all the land of Egypt.

16 Pharaoh quickly called Moses and Aaron and said, “I’ve sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Now, please forgive my sin only this time, and pray to the Lord your God that he would at least remove this[v] from me.”

18 Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 19 Then the Lord brought[w] a very strong west wind that took the locusts and drove them into the Reed[x] Sea. Not one locust remained in all the territory of Egypt. 20 But the Lord made Pharaoh’s heart stubborn[y] and he would not let the Israelis go.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 10:1 Or servants
  2. Exodus 10:1 Lit. put
  3. Exodus 10:1 Lit. him
  4. Exodus 10:2 Lit. declare in the ears of
  5. Exodus 10:2 Lit. you (pl.)
  6. Exodus 10:3 Or worship
  7. Exodus 10:5 Lit. he
  8. Exodus 10:6 Or servants
  9. Exodus 10:6 Lit. he
  10. Exodus 10:7 Or servants
  11. Exodus 10:8 Or worship
  12. Exodus 10:8 Lit. who and who
  13. Exodus 10:10 Lit. he
  14. Exodus 10:10 Lit. it will be thus that
  15. Exodus 10:10 Lit. See!
  16. Exodus 10:10 Lit. is before you
  17. Exodus 10:11 Or worship
  18. Exodus 10:12 Lit. for
  19. Exodus 10:13 Lit. all
  20. Exodus 10:14 Lit. it was very heavy
  21. Exodus 10:15 Lit. the land
  22. Exodus 10:17 Lit. this death
  23. Exodus 10:19 Lit. turned
  24. Exodus 10:19 So MT; LXX reads Red
  25. Exodus 10:20 Lit. strong