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Exodus 10:12–20
“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. 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” (vv. 13–14).
Commentators note that when Pharaoh ejects Moses and Aaron from his presence after they announce the plague of locusts, the king uses sarcasm. The sense of Pharaoh’s statement in Exodus 10:10 amounts to this: “Well, the Lord will have to be with you if I ever let you go because there is no way I am ever going to let it happen myself.” These words from the Egyptian king confirm God’s prediction in Exodus 3:19 that Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go “unless compelled by a mighty hand”—the mighty hand of the Lord.
In today’s passage, Moses tells us about the eighth time that God’s mighty hand came against Egypt in the lead-up to the exodus. The Lord directs Moses to stretch his hand, holding the staff of God, over the land of Egypt in order that the plague of locusts may begin, and an east wind brings in the locusts (10:12–13). This east wind would have been a scorching wind from off the desert to the east of Egypt. East winds are sometimes associated with divine judgment in Scripture (e.g., Hos. 13:15–16), so the presence of the wind demonstrates that the plagues are divine acts of judgment against Egypt. Moreover, locusts are also agents of divine judgment in Scripture (e.g., Joel 1). Everything about the eighth plague, then, is designed to demonstrate that Egypt is under the curse of God for its treatment of the Israelites. This curse is terrible indeed. So many locusts cover the land that it is darkened—that is, it cannot be seen at all for all the insects covering it. No green plant is left once the locusts start feeding (vv. 14–15). Moses does not say specifically that the Israelites and the land of Goshen are spared, but given that the Lord has been distinguishing between the Israelites and the Egyptians since the fourth plague (flies; see 8:22), we may reasonably assume that the locusts do not invade Israelite territory.
Given the terrible destruction of the locusts, it is little wonder that Pharaoh admits wrongdoing and pleads for Moses to get the Lord to relent (10:16–17). But just as when the king confessed his wrongdoing before, his repentance is not genuine (see 9:27–35). He admits sin in only the vaguest of terms, never saying what he has actually done wrong, and his lack of true contrition is made plain when he again hardens his heart after the Lord sends away the locusts (10:18–20). Pharaoh is slowly learning that he is being outmatched by God, but he has not yet been moved to free Israel.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Some people make a show of repentance only because they do not like the consequences of sin. Consideration of their having offended the perfectly holy God is not present. If our repentance is to be genuine, it must grieve for violating the holy commands of the Lord and dishonoring His name.
For Further Study
- Deuteronomy 28:38
- Psalm 78:46
- Psalm 105:34–35
- Revelation 9:1–11