Exodus 10 is the chapter where the plagues against Egypt reach a new level of severity. Pharaoh has already been warned, and the locust plague arrives after he bargains, retreats, and hardens his own resolve. People read this chapter for the plain account of the eighth and ninth plagues, and for the difficult question it raises: why does God harden Pharaoh’s heart, and what is the chapter teaching about who is really in control?
Exodus 10 Summary
The chapter opens with God telling Moses to confront Pharaoh again, explaining that the signs are meant to be told to future generations so they will know that the LORD is God. Moses and Aaron deliver the warning that locusts will cover the land if Pharaoh refuses to release the Israelites. Pharaoh’s advisers urge him to give in, and he offers a partial compromise that Moses rejects, insisting that everyone, including the children and livestock, must go.
The locusts come, devour what the hail left behind, and then a strong west wind carries them into the sea. Pharaoh confesses his sin and begs for relief, but once the plague lifts he refuses again. The chapter then moves into the darkness plague, and it closes with Pharaoh threatening Moses with death, to which Moses replies that he will not see Pharaoh’s face again.
Background and Setting
Exodus is traditionally attributed to Moses, who is said to have written it during the wilderness years after the Israelites left Egypt. Most scholars agree that the book took shape over time from earlier written and oral sources, though the Mosaic tradition has long been central to how the church reads it. The events of the plagues are set in Egypt during the reign of a pharaoh whose identity is debated, with dates commonly placed in the later second millennium BC.
Exodus was written for a people who had lived as slaves and were now learning to think of themselves as the covenant community of the LORD. Chapter 10 sits in the middle of the plague cycle, between the hail and the death of the firstborn, and it shows how the struggle between Pharaoh and God moves from a contest of wills to a demonstration of God’s power that the Israelites themselves are meant to remember.
Exodus 10 Section by Section
Verses 1-2: A Purpose Behind the Plagues
1 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 my signs among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am the LORD.”
Exodus 10:1-2 (WEB)
God speaks first in this chapter, and his words show that the plagues are not random acts of anger. He tells Moses that he has hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that his signs might be displayed, and that these events are to be recounted to children and grandchildren. The point is not only to free Israel but to form a memory in which the people come to know that the LORD is God. Faith in this passage is built through story as much as through rescue.
The phrase about hardening can be difficult, and it is worth reading slowly. The text elsewhere describes Pharaoh hardening his own heart, and here God is said to be working through that resistance to accomplish a larger purpose. Christian readers have long wrestled with how divine sovereignty and human responsibility fit together, and this verse invites humility rather than a neat answer.
Verses 3-11: Pharaoh’s Refusal and the Warning of Locusts
3 Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country…
Exodus 10:3-4 (WEB)
Moses and Aaron stand before Pharaoh and ask the question at the heart of the whole story: how long will he refuse to humble himself? The demand is simple, that the people be allowed to go and serve God. The warning of locusts is specific and vivid, and it tells Pharaoh exactly what refusal will cost him and his country.
Pharaoh’s officials see the ruin of Egypt clearly and beg him to act. He calls Moses back and offers a compromise, allowing only the men to go. Moses insists on taking everyone, and Pharaoh’s answer is hostile and dismissive. The exchange reveals how quickly a proud ruler can move from negotiation to contempt when his authority is challenged.
Verses 12-20: The Locusts Arrive and Pharaoh Pleads
14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, nor will there ever be again. 15 For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
Exodus 10:14-15 (WEB)
The plague unfolds with terrifying completeness. The locusts cover the land, strip every green thing that the hail spared, and leave nothing alive in the fields. The description is one of total loss, and it prepares the reader to understand why Pharaoh suddenly calls for help.
His confession is striking, but it is also short-lived. He admits sin and asks for forgiveness, yet the moment the wind removes the locusts, the text says that the LORD hardens his heart again. The passage teaches that a fearful or remorseful response is not the same as a changed heart, and that repentance needs more than relief from pain.
Verses 21-29: Darkness and the Final Break
21 The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.” 22 Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23 They didn’t see one another, and nobody rose from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Exodus 10:21-23 (WEB)
The ninth plague brings a darkness that can be felt, lasting three days. The Egyptians are cut off from one another, while the Israelites have light in their dwellings. The contrast is deliberate, and it shows that the plagues distinguish between those who belong to the LORD and those who oppose him.
The chapter ends with a sharp exchange. Pharaoh will allow the people to leave only if their flocks and herds remain behind, and Moses refuses. Pharaoh orders Moses out of his sight, and Moses agrees to stay away. The breakdown is complete, and the stage is set for the most devastating plague still to come.
Key Themes in Exodus 10
- God’s sovereignty over history: The chapter shows the LORD directing events toward a purpose that extends beyond any single ruler’s decisions.
- Remembrance and teaching: God commands that these signs be told to the next generation so that faith is passed on through testimony.
- Pride and the cost of refusal: Pharaoh’s repeated resistance shows how stubbornness can bring ruin on a whole nation.
- Repentance that is more than relief: Pharaoh’s confession under pressure teaches that a change of heart is different from a desire for the pain to stop.
- Distinction and mercy: The light in Israel’s dwellings shows that God makes a difference between those who trust him and those who do not.
Lessons From Exodus 10 for Today
Consider a family that has watched a loved one repeatedly promise to change after a crisis, only to slip back once the danger passes. Exodus 10 offers an honest picture of that pattern. It invites us to examine whether our apologies lead to real change or only to temporary relief, and to ask God for a heart that does not harden when life becomes comfortable again.
Think of a parent passing on faith to a child who has grown up in a world of doubt. The chapter’s insistence that the signs be told to future generations encourages us to speak plainly about what God has done in our own lives. Our stories, told honestly, can give young people a memory to hold onto when faith feels distant.
Questions for Reflection
- What does it mean for you that God is working through human choices, including resistance, to accomplish his purposes?
- Where in your life have you noticed a pattern of apology followed by a return to the same behavior?
- Which stories from your own faith journey would you want to pass on to the next generation, and how will you tell them?
- How does the contrast between darkness and light in Goshen speak to the way you understand God’s care for his people?
- What would it look like to respond to God with humility rather than the defiance Pharaoh showed?
A Prayer From Exodus 10
Lord, you are the one who sees the whole story, from the first word to the last. Keep my heart soft when I am tempted to harden it against your ways. Help me to remember what you have done, and to tell it honestly to those who come after me. When I am tempted to bargain with you, teach me to offer myself fully rather than in part. Let me walk in the light you give, and trust your purposes even when I cannot see the path ahead. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does God harden Pharaoh’s heart in Exodus 10?
The chapter presents this as part of God’s larger purpose to display his power and to teach future generations who he is. Scripture also describes Pharaoh hardening his own heart, so the story shows both human responsibility and divine sovereignty at work. Readers often find that this question leads them to humility rather than a simple explanation.
What is the significance of the locust plague in this chapter?
The locusts strip away the last green things the hail had spared, showing a complete devastation of Egypt’s food and land. The plague also prompts Pharaoh’s brief confession and his plea for relief. It serves as a turning point that reveals both the severity of God’s judgment and the shallowness of Pharaoh’s repentance.
How can Exodus 10 help me today?
The chapter invites honest reflection on whether our repentance leads to lasting change or only to temporary relief. It also encourages us to pass our faith stories on to others. Reading it slowly can help us trust God’s purposes when the path is hard to see.
