Exo 10 | NASB2020 | STEP | Then the Lord said to Moses , “ Go to Pharaoh , for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants , so that I may perform these signs of Mine among them,

Exodus 10

The Plague of Locusts

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for ^aI have ^{▼▼Lit made heavy}hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, so that I may ^{▼▼Lit put}perform these signs of Mine ^{▼▼Lit in his midst}among them, 2 and ^ethat you may tell in the ^{▼▼Lit ears}presence of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I ^{▼▼Lit put}performed My signs among them, ^hso that you may know that I am the Lord.”

3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews says: ‘How long will you refuse to ⁱhumble yourself before Me? ^jLet My people go, so that they may serve Me. 4 For if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. 5 And they will cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. ^kThey will also eat the rest of what has survived--what is left to you from the hail--and they will eat every tree of yours which grows ^{▼▼Lit from}in the field. 6 Then ^myour houses will be filled with them, ^{▼▼Lit and the}together with the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians, something which neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day that they ^{▼▼Lit were}came upon the earth until this day.’” And he turned and left Pharaoh. 7 Then ^pPharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be ^qa snare to us? Let the ^{▼▼Or men}people go, so that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet ^{▼▼Lit know}realize that Egypt is destroyed?” 8 So Moses and Aaron ^twere brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “ ^uGo, serve the Lord your God! ^{▼▼Lit Who and who are}Who specifically are the ones who are going?” 9 Moses said, “ ^wWe shall go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, ^xwith our flocks and our herds we shall go, for we ^{▼▼Lit have a feast}must hold a feast to the Lord.” 10 Then he said to them, “So may the Lord be with you, when I let you and your little ones go! Watch out, for evil is ^{▼▼Lit before your face}on your mind! 11 Not so! Go now, but only the men among you, and serve the Lord, since ^{▼▼Lit you desire it}that is what you desire.” So ^abthey were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “ ^acReach out with your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come up on the land of Egypt and ^adeat every plant of the land, everything that the hail has left.” 13 So Moses reached out with his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind ^{▼▼Lit carried}brought the ^aflocusts. 14 ^agThe locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very ^{▼▼Lit heavy}numerous. There had never been so many ^{▼▼Lit locusts like them before them}locusts, nor would there be so many ^{▼▼Lit after them}again. 15 For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ^akate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Therefore nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field throughout the land of Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh hurriedly ^alcalled for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “ ^amI have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 So now, please forgive my sin only this once, and ^anplead with the Lord your God, that He would only remove this death from me.” 18 Then ^aohe left Pharaoh and pleaded with the Lord. 19 So the Lord shifted the wind to a very strong west wind, which picked up the locusts and drove them into the ^{▼▼Lit Sea of Reeds}Red Sea; not one locust was left in all the territory of Egypt. 20 But ^aqthe Lord ^{▼▼Lit made strong}hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.

Darkness over the Land

21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “ ^asReach out with your hand toward the sky, so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness ^atwhich may be felt.” 22 So Moses reached out with his hand toward the sky, and there was ^authick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, ^avbut all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24 Then Pharaoh ^awcalled for Moses, and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be left behind. Even ^axyour little ones may go with you.” 25 But Moses said, “You must also ^{▼▼Lit hand over}let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, so that we may ^{▼▼Lit make them for}sacrifice them to the Lord our God. 26 ^baTherefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we shall take some of them to serve the Lord our God. And until we arrive there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve the Lord.” 27 But ^bbthe Lord ^{▼▼Lit made strong}hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “ ^bdGet away from me! ^{▼▼Lit Take care for yourself}Be careful, do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you shall die!” 29 Moses said, “You have spoken correctly; ^bfI shall never see your face again!”