Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Exodus 10
Exodus 10:2and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord."
God explains these powerful signs are for Pharaoh and to ensure the story of His power is passed down through Israel's generations.Exodus 10:16-17Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.”
In a moment of desperation, Pharaoh admits his sin, but his request reveals he only wants relief from the consequences, not a true change of heart.Exodus 10:28Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.”
This is the breaking point in the negotiations, where a furious Pharaoh threatens Moses with death, ending their dialogue and sealing Egypt's fate.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Kingdom on the Brink
The story picks up after seven devastating plagues have already struck Egypt. The nation's economy, environment, and people have suffered immensely from plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock death, boils, and fiery hail. Despite the mounting destruction, Pharaoh remains defiant. He has repeatedly agreed to let the Israelites go, only to reverse his decision the moment a plague subsides, revealing a heart that is growing progressively harder.
Devouring Locusts and Tangible Darkness
In this chapter, God intensifies the pressure with two more overwhelming plagues. First, a swarm of locusts consumes every last green thing the hail had missed, wiping out Egypt's food supply. A deep and terrifying darkness follows, bringing the nation to a complete standstill. These events push Pharaoh to the edge, but his pride still prevents him from full surrender, leading to a final, explosive confrontation with Moses.
Two Final Warnings: Locusts and Darkness
As Exodus 10 opens, God sends Moses and Aaron back to Pharaoh's court with another warning. The situation in Egypt is dire, and even Pharaoh's own officials can see the ruin facing their country. This chapter details the unfolding of the eighth and ninth plagues, showing how each negotiation fails and how Pharaoh's refusal to humble himself brings his kingdom closer to total collapse.
A Warning and a Failed Bargain (Exodus 10:1-11)
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them,
2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord."
3 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.
4 But if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,
5 They shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field,
6 And they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’” Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.
7 Then 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. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?"
8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, "Go, serve the Lord your God. But which ones are to go?"
9 Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the Lord."
10 Then he said to them, "The Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind.
11 Not so! Go now, the men among you, and serve the Lord, for that is what you are asking.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
Commentary:
Pharaoh's officials beg him to give in, but he offers a compromise that Moses rejects, leading to another standoff.
The Plague of Locusts (Exodus 10:12-20)
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left."
13 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.
14 The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again.
15 They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
16 Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.
17 Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.”
18 So he went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the Lord.
19 And the Lord turned a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt.
20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.
Commentary:
A devastating locust swarm destroys Egypt's remaining food, prompting a temporary and insincere confession from Pharaoh.
A Darkness That Can Be Felt (Exodus 10:21-23)
21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”
22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.
Commentary:
A supernatural darkness paralyzes Egypt for three days, a direct challenge to their sun god, while the Israelites remain in the light.
The Final Standoff (Exodus 10:24-29)
24 Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Go, serve the Lord; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind."
25 But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
26 Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.”
27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.”
29 But Moses said, “You must let us also have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
Commentary:
Pharaoh's last compromise is rejected by Moses, leading to a death threat that ends all negotiations.
Key Themes in the Plagues of Judgment
The Sovereignty of God
This chapter powerfully demonstrates that God is in complete control. He commands the wind, the locusts, and the darkness, showing His authority over the natural world. He also has authority over human hearts, using Pharaoh's stubbornness to fully display His power and purpose.
The Anatomy of a Hardened Heart
Pharaoh's heart is actively resistant to God. It is not merely stubborn. Even when he admits sin, it's a shallow confession designed only to stop the pain. This shows that a hardened heart can recognize truth and still refuse to fully surrender to it, a warning against superficial repentance.
Judgment as Revelation
The plagues are revelations of God's character and identity. They are not merely punishments. The darkness directly challenges Egypt's most powerful deity, Ra, proving him powerless. God explicitly states His goal is for His name and power to be known by all, including Israel.
The Distinction of God's People
While Egypt is plunged into a paralyzing darkness, the Israelites have light in their homes. This is a physical picture of a spiritual reality. God makes a clear distinction between those who belong to Him and those who stand in opposition to Him, offering protection and presence to His own.
Lessons from a Hardened Heart
Exodus 10 shows that God's power is purposeful and absolute. He orchestrates events to reveal who He is - the one true Lord over all creation (Exodus 10:2). He does not merely react to Pharaoh. His purpose is not only to free His people but to create a testimony of His strength and faithfulness that will last for all generations.
You can avoid a hardened heart by examining your motives for obedience. Pharaoh's repentance was self-serving, aimed only at stopping his suffering (Exodus 10:17). This chapter challenges you to pursue genuine repentance, which involves humbling yourself and desiring to honor God, rather than merely trying to escape difficult consequences.
The contrast between darkness and light (Exodus 10:23) is a powerful reminder that God provides spiritual light and clarity for you, even when the world around you is in confusion or chaos. It means that your security is not in your circumstances but in God's presence, which guides and protects you no matter how dark things seem.
God's Unyielding Will, Man's Futile Resistance
Exodus 10 powerfully illustrates the clash between divine sovereignty and human pride. Through the devastating plagues of locusts and darkness, God demonstrates His absolute authority over creation and the utter futility of resisting His will. The message is clear and timeless: partial obedience is still disobedience, and a hardened heart only invites greater judgment, all so that God's name will be known and His power remembered.
What This Means for Us Today
The story of Pharaoh is a stark warning against the pride that refuses to fully surrender. God's call to 'Let my people go' is a command rooted in His authority and desire for right worship. It is not a negotiation. This chapter invites us to examine our own hearts for any areas where we, like Pharaoh, are holding back from complete and humble obedience.
- In what areas of my life am I trying to negotiate with God instead of fully surrendering?
- When have I experienced God's 'light' during a time of personal or worldly 'darkness'?
- How can the story of Pharaoh's downfall remind me of the importance of humility today?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter details the fifth, sixth, and seventh plagues (livestock, boils, and hail), showing the escalating pattern of judgment leading up to Exodus 10.
Immediately following the final standoff, God gives Moses the warning for the tenth and final plague: the death of the firstborn.
Connections Across Scripture
The Apostle Paul quotes the Exodus story to explain God's sovereignty, using Pharaoh as the prime example of how God can use even human resistance to accomplish His ultimate purposes.
The prophet Joel uses the imagery of a massive locust swarm, similar to the one in Exodus, to describe a day of God's judgment and to call the people to sincere repentance.
John's vision of the end times includes a plague of demonic locusts rising from the Abyss, echoing the terrifying judgment seen in Exodus.
Discussion Questions
- God says He hardened Pharaoh's heart so that His power would be known (Exodus 10:1-2). How does seeing God's power displayed through judgment, rather than merely blessing, shape our understanding of who He is?
- Pharaoh's own officials could see that 'Egypt is ruined' (Exodus 10:7), yet Pharaoh continued his resistance. Why do people sometimes refuse to change course even when facing obvious destruction?
- Moses insists that 'not a hoof shall be left behind' (Exodus 10:26), refusing any compromise. What does this teach us about the nature of true obedience to God?