Exodus 10

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt], for I have hardened [made stubborn, given a stubborn attitude] his heart [the seat of feelings, will, and intellect] and the hearts [the inner being, including emotions and thoughts] of his officials [servants, attendants], that I may perform [show, work] these miraculous signs [wonders, beacons] of Mine among them [in their midst, before them], word study 2 and that you may tell [declare, recount] your children [sons, descendants] and grandchildren [son’s son, future generations] how severely [with great power, firmly] I dealt [acted, wrought] with the Egyptians [the people of Egypt] when I performed [did, wrought] miraculous signs [wonders, mighty works] among them, so that all of you may know [understand, perceive] that I am [exist, am present] the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God].” word study 3 So Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron went to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] and told him, “This is what the LORD [Yehovah], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long [until when] will you refuse [to submit] to humble [to afflict or oppress] yourself before Me? Let My people [the nation of Israel] go, so that they may worship [serve, give reverence to] Me. word study 4 But if you [refusing to obey, unwilling to cooperate] refuse to let My people [Amaw, a nation or tribe] go, I will bring [introduce, cause to come] locusts [a large flying insect, a plague] into your territory [border, a designated area] tomorrow [at a future time, the next day]. word study 5 They will cover [completely overwhelm, fill up] the face of the land [earth, ground, territory] so that no one can see it [be able to look at, gaze upon]. They will devour [eat, consume] whatever is left [remaining, surviving] after the hail [a sign of God’s judgment] and eat [consume, destroy] every tree [wood, plant] that grows [springs up, flourishes] in your fields [land, territory, countryside]. word study 6 They will fill [completely occupy, swarm into] your houses and the houses of all your officials [servants, attendants] and every Egyptian [person from Egypt]—something neither your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] nor your grandfathers [ancestors of past generations] have seen [experienced, witnessed] since the day they came into this land [the earth, the promised land].’” Then Moses turned [faced away, departed] and left Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt’s] presence [company, court]. word study 7 Pharaoh’s officials [servants, attendants] asked him, “How long [until when] will this man [the Israeli leader] be a snare [trap, offense] to us? Let the people [men, Israelites] go, so that they may worship [serve, honor] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] their God [Elohim, Creator]. Do you not yet realize [know, understand] that Egypt [the land, the nation] is in ruins [destroyed, perished]?” word study 8 So Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron [the first high priest] were brought back [to return, to turn back] to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt]. “Go [to walk, to live], worship [to serve, to give reverence] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme One],” he said. “But who [what person, which ones] exactly will be going [to go, to walk, to proceed]?” word study 9 “We will go [with all our people, young and old] with our young [youth, from infancy to adolescence] and old [elderly, advanced in years],” Moses [the Israelite leader] replied. “We will go with our sons [male descendants] and daughters [female children], and with our flocks [sheep or goats] and herds [domesticated cattle], for we must hold [celebrate, observe] a feast [festival, solemn assembly] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God].” word study 10 Then Pharaoh told them, “May the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] be with [together, in fellowship] you if I ever let you go with your little ones [children, families]. Clearly [look to it, behold] you are bent on [planning, intending] evil [bad, moral harm, adversity]. word study 11 No [not at all, by no means], only the men [great men, males] may go [to walk, to proceed] and worship [to serve, to give reverence] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], since that is what you have been requesting [seeking, searching for].” And Moses and Aaron were driven [expelled, thrust out] from Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt] presence [face, sight]. word study 12 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand [in a gesture of divine authority] over the land [the soil or ground] of Egypt, so that the locusts may swarm [come up in large numbers] over it and devour [eat or consume] every plant [vegetation or grass] in the land—everything [all, without exception] that the hail [a sign of God’s judgment] has left behind [remained or been spared].” word study 13 So Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] stretched out his staff over the land [the soil or ground, a country, territory, or region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], and throughout that day [a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time] and night [a time of darkness, opposed to day] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] sent an east wind [a wind blowing from the east, often used to describe geographical locations or the direction of the wind] across the land. By morning [the break of day, a time of new beginnings] the east wind had brought the locusts [insects that rapidly multiply, used figuratively to describe sudden disappearance or insignificance]. word study 14 The locusts [a vast swarm, an immense multitude] swarmed across the land [the entire territory, all the region] and settled over the entire territory [all the borders, every part] of Egypt [the land of the Nile, a country in northeastern Africa]. Never before had there been so many locusts [such a numerous and destructive plague], and never again will there be [in the future, at any later time]. word study 15 They covered [completely overspread, darkened] the face of all [the entire, every part of] the land until it was black [darkened, without light], and they consumed [devoured, ate every last bit of] all the plants [vegetation, grass] on the ground and all the fruit [produce, crops] on the trees that the hail [frozen balls of ice] had left behind [remaining, untouched]. Nothing green [alive, thriving] was left on any tree [wooden plant, strong and firm] or plant [grass, herb] in all [every part of] the land of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 16 Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] quickly [in haste, with urgency] summoned Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet] and Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses] and said, “I have sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong, repented] against the LORD [Yehovah, the one true God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] and against you [the leaders, the people]. word study 17 Now [at this time] please forgive [bear with, pardon] my sin [guilt, transgression] once more [only this once, this time only] and appeal [pray, make supplication] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God], that He may remove [take away, lift] this death [mortal destruction, the plague] from me [upon me, from over me].” word study 18 So Moses [left the presence of, went out from] left Pharaoh’s presence and appealed [prayed, made supplication, entreated] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 19 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] changed [to overturn, reverse] the wind [spirit, breath of life] to a very [exceedingly, greatly] strong [powerful, severe] west [sea, Mediterranean] wind that carried off the locusts [rapidly multiply] and blew them into the Red [of reeds] Sea [a large body of water]. Not [indicating absence or negation] a single [one, united] locust remained [was left over, spared] anywhere in Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. word study 20 But the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] hardened [strengthened, made stubborn] Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt] heart [the seat of feelings, will, and intellect], and he would not [refused to] let the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] go [send away, release]. word study 21 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] toward heaven [the visible universe and the abode of God], so that darkness [physical and spiritual] may spread over the land [the soil or ground] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]—a palpable [thick, able to be felt] darkness [misery, destruction, or wickedness].” word study 22 So Moses [the Israelite leader] stretched out his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] toward heaven [the visible universe and the abode of God], and total [thick, heavy] darkness [physical and spiritual] covered [came over] all [everything] the land [the soil or ground] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] for three [a quantity of three] days [a literal 24-hour period]. word study 23 No one could see [not perceive, was unable to look at] anyone else, and for three [a period of thrice, a trio of] days no one left [rose from, departed from] his place [position, location, dwelling]. Yet all [every single one, the entirety of] the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] had light [enlightenment, illumination, spiritual understanding] in their dwellings [homes, places of residence, seats]. word study 24 Then Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] summoned Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] and said, “Go [to walk, move from one place to another], worship [serve, work, implying slavery or bondage] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. Even your little ones [children, a group of children, families] may go with you; only [except, to limit or emphasize] your flocks [a flock of sheep or goats] and herds [domesticated cattle or oxen] must stay behind [be stayed, set in place permanently].” word study 25 But Moses [the Israelite leader] replied, “You must also [even, too] provide us with sacrifices [offerings to atone for sin, to honor God] and burnt offerings [steps to ascend to God, completely consumed by fire] to present [make, offer] to the LORD [Yehovah, the one true God] our God [Elohim, the supreme Creator, our loving Father]. word study 26 Even our livestock [cattle, including sheep and goats] must go with us; not a hoof [a single claw or foot] will be left behind, for we will need some of them [to take and use] to worship [serve and honor] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] our God [Elohim, the Creator and Ruler], and we will not know [be aware of or understand] how we are to worship [serve and obey] the LORD until we arrive [come to the place, reach our destination].” word study 27 But the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel] hardened [strengthened, made stubborn] Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt] heart [mind, will, and emotions], and he was [became, proved to be] unwilling [not willing, refused] to let them go [to send them away, release them]. word study 28 “Depart [go away, leave my presence] from me!” Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] said to Moses. “Make sure [take heed, be careful] you never see [look upon, gaze at] my face [presence, person] again, for [because, since] on the day [a period of time, a specific point] you see [look upon, behold] my face [presence, person], you will die [cease to exist, perish].” word study 29 “As you say [may it be as you have spoken, rightly],” Moses [the Israelite leader] replied, “I will never [not, no more] see your face [presence, being in front of you] again [still, from this time on].” word study