Exodus 10

The eighth plague was the plague of locusts (10:4). Enough time had passed since the previous plague for the wheat and spelt to sprout (see 9:32).

The Egyptian god Osiris was highly honored by the people in Egypt. Egyptians believed he went down into the underworld and brought plant life back in the spring. For them, he was connected with renewal and life after death.

This second and climactic attack on plant life showed that even Osiris had no power before the Lord. God alone controls life and death.

New plants that grow in the spring do not give eternal life. True life comes from the Lord, not from nature or from any false god.

God sent the plagues so Israel would know that I am the LORD (similar to Egypt, see 9:14–16). God wanted his people to understand who he is and to trust him.

These locusts were a type of grasshopper that migrates. They swarmed from desert areas and could destroy large land areas by eating all the plants.

The officials did not have royal honor to protect. So they were willing to learn from what had happened and to let the men go.

Pharaoh resisted again. He wanted to protect his public honor. He said the men could go only if they left their families behind. In this way, he hoped they would be forced to return.

Moses had never said they would come back. They said they were going into the wilderness to worship God. But once slaves are free, they do not willingly return to those who oppressed them. Pharaoh understood this.

an east wind: The locust swarms came from the Arabian Desert, across the Red Sea to the east.

The locust plague was a miracle. It began when Moses raised his staff.

It also covered the whole land, from one end of the country to the other. The locusts were very many, and there had never been a plague like it before.

forgive my sin: Pharaoh’s understanding grew deeper. He admitted that his pride and his refusal to keep his word were sins. He understood that sin cannot be ignored. It must be forgiven.

However, even though Pharaoh understood this truth, he still refused to obey. His heart (inner attitude) did not change.

The ninth plague was the plague of darkness (10:21). The chief god of Egypt through the centuries, who appeared under several different names, was the sun. At this time, he was known as Amon-Re. He was supreme over all the other gods and was considered to be the ultimate source of life. The Lord showed that the sun’s light is completely under his control. God could shut it off from Egypt proper, while leaving it to shine in Goshen in the northeast part of the country (10:23; see study note on 9:1–7).

your flocks and herds must stay behind: Pharaoh again tried to keep some of his honor and authority after his great failure.

Even after all that had happened, he did not want to give up control completely.

Moses would not compromise. He knew the Israelites would not leave any possessions behind. Instead, the Egyptians would give them gifts so they would leave quickly (3:21–22). Moses also emphasized worshiping God. This repeated focus on leaving Egypt for worship shows the main reason for their exodus was so they could become God's people (see study note on 8:26–27).

Pharaoh seemed to understand that he had reached a point of no return. The plagues had shown him the power of the Lord. The only proper response was to submit.

Instead, he chose another path. If he would not submit, then he would try to silence the messenger. So he decided to threaten Moses rather than obey God.

This pattern appears again later in Scripture. During the life and ministry of Jesus, some religious leaders refused to accept what his works clearly showed. Instead of believing, they chose to kill him (see John 11:45–53).