Bible Chapter Summary
Exodus 10 Summary
Locusts and Darkness Plague Egypt
God directs Moses and Aaron to confront Pharaoh again, explaining that His hardening of Pharaoh's heart serves to display His signs and to give future generations testimony of His mighty works. When Pharaoh again refuses to release all the Israelites, Moses stretches out his rod and an east wind brings a devastating swarm of locusts—unprecedented in severity—that consumes every remaining plant and herb throughout Egypt. Pharaoh temporarily confesses sin and pleads for the plague's removal, but after a west wind drives the locusts into the Red Sea, God hardens his heart once more. A second plague of thick, palpable darkness then covers Egypt for three days, during which no Egyptian could see or move, while the Israelites had light in their dwellings; Pharaoh's final offer—to let the people go but retain their livestock—is rejected by Moses, leading an enraged Pharaoh to threaten Moses with death and banish him from his presence.
Key themes
Key verses
Exodus 10:2
“And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.”
Exodus 10:14
“And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.”
Exodus 10:22
“And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:”
Exodus 10:23
“They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”
Read Exodus 10 in full
Study the complete chapter with interlinear Hebrew & Greek, verse-by-verse, in the Gospel Daily reader.
Open the full chapter