10Exodus 10

Locusts

1The Lord said to Moses: Go back to the king. I have made him and his officials stubborn, so that I could work these miracles.Select Exodus 10:1

2I did this because I want you to tell your children and your grandchildren about my miracles and about my harsh treatment of the Egyptians. Then all of you will know that I am the Lord.Select Exodus 10:2

3Moses and Aaron went to the king and told him that the Lord God of the Hebrews had said: How long will you stubbornly refuse to obey? Release my people so they can worship me.Select Exodus 10:3

4Do this by tomorrow, or I will cover your country with so many locustsSelect Exodus 10:4

5that you won't be able to see the ground. Most of your crops were ruined by the hailstones, but these locusts will destroy what little is left, including the trees.Select Exodus 10:5

6Your palace, the homes of your officials, and all the other houses in Egypt will overflow with more locusts than have ever been seen in this country. After Moses left the palace,Select Exodus 10:6

7the king's officials asked, “Your Majesty, how much longer is this man going to be a troublemaker? Why don't you let the people leave, so they can worship the Lord their God? Don't you know that Egypt is a disaster?”Select Exodus 10:7

8The king had Moses and Aaron brought back, and he said, “All right, you may go and worship the Lord your God. But first tell me who will be going.”Select Exodus 10:8

9“Everyone, young and old,” Moses answered. “We will even take our sheep, goats, and cattle, because we want to hold a celebration in honor of the Lord.”Select Exodus 10:9

10The king replied, “The Lord had better watch over you on the day I let you leave with your families! You're up to no good.Select Exodus 10:10

11Do you want to worship the Lord? All right, take only the men and go.” Then Moses and Aaron were chased out of the palace.Select Exodus 10:11

12The Lord told Moses, “Stretch your arm toward Egypt. Swarms of locusts will come and eat everything left by the hail.”Select Exodus 10:12

13Moses held out his walking stick, and the Lord sent an east wind that blew across Egypt the rest of the day and all that night. By morning, locustsSelect Exodus 10:13

14were swarming everywhere. Never before had there been so many locusts in Egypt, and never again will there be so many.Select Exodus 10:14

15The ground was black with locusts, and they ate everything left on the trees and in the fields. Nothing green remained in Egypt—not a tree or a plant.Select Exodus 10:15

16At once the king sent for Moses and Aaron. He told them, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.Select Exodus 10:16

17Forgive me one more time and ask the Lord to stop these insects from killing every living plant.”Select Exodus 10:17

18Moses left the palace and prayed.Select Exodus 10:18

19Then the Lord sent a strong west wind that swept the locusts into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left anywhere in Egypt,Select Exodus 10:19

20but the Lord made the king so stubborn that he still refused to let the Israelites go.Select Exodus 10:20

Darkness

21The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch your arm toward the sky, and everything will be covered with darkness thick enough to touch.”Select Exodus 10:21

22Moses stretched his arm toward the sky, and Egypt was covered with darkness for three days.Select Exodus 10:22

23During that time, the Egyptians could not see each other or leave their homes, but there was light where the Israelites lived.Select Exodus 10:23

24The king sent for Moses and told him, “Go worship the Lord! And take your families with you. Just leave your sheep, goats, and cattle.”Select Exodus 10:24

25“No!” Moses replied. “You must let us offer sacrifices to the Lord our God,Select Exodus 10:25

26and we won't know which animals we will need until we get there. That's why we can't leave even one of them here.”Select Exodus 10:26

27This time the Lord made the king so stubbornSelect Exodus 10:27

28that he said to Moses, “Get out and stay out! If you ever come back, you're dead!”Select Exodus 10:28

29“Have it your way,” Moses answered. “You won't see me again.”Select Exodus 10:29