Keraia
Exodus 10

Exodus 10:12

The Eighth Plague: Locusts · Exodus 10:1–20
Read Exodus 10

Translations

Modern
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt, so that the locusts may swarm over it and devour every plant in the land—everything that the hail has left behind.”
Traditional
And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
Literal
And YHWH said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locust, and they shall go up upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant of the land—all that the hail has left.”
Latin
Dixit autem Dominus ad Moysen: Extende manum tuam super terram Ægypti ad locustam, ut ascendat super eam, et devoret omnem herbam quæ residua fuerit grandini.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt, so that the locusts may swarm over it and devour every plant in the land—everything that the hail has left behind.”

Notes

Exodus 10:1–20

The eighth plague was the plague of locusts (10:4). Enough time had passed since the previous plague for the wheat and spelt to sprout (see 9:32).

The Egyptian god Osiris was highly honored by the people in Egypt. Egyptians believed he went down into the underworld and brought plant life back in the spring. For them, he was connected with renewal and life after death.

This second and climactic attack on plant life showed that even Osiris had no power before the Lord. God alone controls life and death.

New plants that grow in the spring do not give eternal life. True life comes from the Lord, not from nature or from any false god.

Theme notes and profiles

Egypt Moses Pharaoh The Plagues

Events

People

Moses: Prophet who led Israel out of Egypt

Places

Egypt: Ancient nation; Israelites enslaved there; plagues and Exodus

Glossary

Aaron Book of Exodus Deuteronomy, Book of History of Israel Numbers and Numerology Plague Plagues upon Egypt

Topics

Animals: Instruments of God's Will Herbs: Destroyed by Locusts Hypocrisy: Pharaoh Insects: Locust Locust: Plague of Plague: Locusts The Locust: One of the Plagues of Egypt