Êxodo 10

Êxodo 10

Pink writes, “Consider now the vegetable kingdom. Why should roses have thorns, and lilies grow without them? Why should one flower emit a fragrant aroma and another have none? Why should one tree bear fruit which is wholesome and another that which is poisonous? Why should one vegetable be capable of enduring frost and another wither under it? Why should one apple tree be loaded with fruit, and another tree of the same age and in the same orchard be almost barren? Why should one plant flower a dozen times in a year and another bear blossoms but once a century? Truly, ‘whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did He in heaven, and in the earth, in the seas, and all deep places’ (Ps. 135:6).” (Foundations of Grace - chapter on "Divine Sovereignty") Exodus 10:13 So Moses stretched out 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 brought the locusts. NET Exodus 10:13 So Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and then the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all night. The morning came, and the east wind had brought up the locusts! east wind - Ex 14:21 Ge 41:6 Ps 78:26 107:25-28 148:8 Jon 1:4 4:8 Mt 8:27 GOD OF THE WINDS BRINGS LOCUSTS ON WIND So - Don't miss Moses' immediate obedience to the command of the LORD. Moses stretched out 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 brought the locusts - Note the juxtaposition of man's responsibility and God's sovereign power (directed an east wind). The word directed is (nahag) means the locusts were driven (like a herd of sheep), guided or conducted (either willingly or by force). It is elsewhere used for driving sheep (used of Moses when "he led the flock to...Horeb" - Ex 3:1), leading armies (of Pharaoh's chariots - Ex 14:25), or leading in processions. This same verb would describe the future of disobedient Israel Moses prophesying "The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD drives you." (Dt 4:27, Dt 28:37). NET on when it was morning - It clearly means “when it was morning,” but the style chosen gives a more abrupt beginning to the plague, as if the reader is in the experience—and at morning, the locusts are there! The verb brought is a past perfect, indicting that the locusts had arrived before the day came Staff (rod)(04294)(matteh, mattah) is a masculine noun that means rod, staff, branch ( the non-fruit part of a plant Eze 19:11), tribe. A Staff or rod , walking stick which is a thick stick of wood that the hand can grasp, of a length that the body can use as a support for walking, used for various functions of work or discipline/punishment. All uses in Exodus - Ex 4:2; Ex 4:4; Ex 4:17; Ex 4:20; Ex 7:9; Ex 7:10; Ex 7:12; Ex 7:15; Ex 7:17; Ex 7:19; Ex 7:20; Ex 8:5; Ex 8:16; Ex 8:17; Ex 9:23; Ex 10:13; Ex 14:16; Ex 17:5; Ex 17:9; Ex 31:2; Ex 31:6; Ex 35:30; Ex 35:34; Ex 38:22; East wind will come up again in Ex 14:21 providing an escape for Israel - Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. Exodus 10:14 The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very numerous. There had never been so many locusts, nor would there be so many again. NET Exodus 10:14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and settled down in all the territory of Egypt. It was very severe; there had been no locusts like them before, nor will there be such ever again. the locusts - De 28:42 1Ki 8:37 Ps 78:46 105:34,35 Rev 9:3-7 they were very numerous - Ex 10:5 Joe 1:2-4 never been so many locusts- Ex 10:6 11:6 Joe 2:2 AN UNPRECEDENTED PLAGUE The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very numerous. There had never been so many locusts, nor would there be so many again - This plague would never be seen again. The description prepares for the following statement about the uniqueness of this locust infestation and emphasizes the fact that it was not natural but supernatural from the sovereign LORD! Exodus 10:15 For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt. For they - Ex 10:5 Joe 1:6,7 2:1-11,25 they ate every plant - Ps 78:46 105:35 TOTAL DEVASTATION For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened - The ground was literally the color of the locusts. Covered (03680) (kacah/kasah) means to literally cover up as when the waters of the Red Sea covered the Egyptians (Ex. 15:5; Ex 24:15 or the cloud of God's glory covered Mount Sinai or the Tabernacle (Ex 24:15). All uses in Exodus - Ex 8:6; Exod. 10:5; Exod. 10:15; Exod. 14:28; Exod. 15:5; Exod. 15:10; Exod. 16:13 = "So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp."; Exod. 21:33; Exod. 24:15; Exod. 24:16; Exod. 26:13; Exod. 28:42; Exod. 29:13; Exod. 29:22; Exod. 40:34 = "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle." and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt - "Yahweh showed Himself greater than the Egyptian god Set, thought to be the protector of crops." (Guzik) THOUGHT - God did for Pharaoh what He will do in our lives—expose and topple every false god. When we trust in these gods it hurts to see them fall, but it is always best to have them exposed. (Guzik) Exodus 10:16 Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron, and he said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. I have sinned - Ex 9:27 Nu 21:7 22:34 1Sa 15:24,30 26:21 2Sa 19:20 Job 34:31,32 Pr 28:13 Mt 27:4 PHARAOH CONFESSES SIN AGAINST JEHOVAH Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron - Hurriedly called is "summoned quickly!" Pharaoh is frantic now and beginning to panic. "The third part of the passage now begins, the confrontation that resulted from the onslaught of the plague. Pharaoh goes a step further here—he confesses he has sinned and adds a request for forgiveness. But his acknowledgment does not go far enough, for this is not genuine confession. Since his heart was not yet submissive, his confession was vain." (NET) And he said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you - He confesses sin and against Jehovah not Elohim. Sounds like he is beginning to come to "know" Jehovah (contrast Ex 5:2). And his theology is spot on for he recognizes that all sin is ultimately against God, a good principle for all of us to remember (cf Ge 39:9). "The severity of the plague prompted Pharaoh to confess his sin against Yahweh and them, now in much stronger terms than before. He also wants forgiveness—but in all probability what he wants is relief from the consequences of his sin. He pretended to convey to Moses that this was it, that he was through sinning, so he asked for forgiveness “only this time.”" (NET)