Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about locusts eating plants; it's about a precise, layered destruction. The plague is sent not only to devour every plant, but specifically all that the hail has left. This reveals God's judgment is not random but intensely targeted, ensuring every bit of sustenance is utterly removed, leaving nothing for the Egyptians to salvage.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following the devastating plague of hail, God commands Moses to bring forth a plague of locusts that will consume whatever the hail missed, aiming to completely strip the land and bring Pharaoh to his knees. After this tenth plague, Pharaoh will finally relent, but it's not a genuine change of heart, as God will harden his heart again, demonstrating the futility of resisting divine power.
Ever feel like the world is out of control? This plague shows God's direct command over even the smallest creatures.
When God commands, creation obeys. This plague of locusts wasn't a random natural disaster; it was a targeted, divine judgment. Moses stretches out his hand, and the Lord brings the locusts. This highlights God's absolute sovereignty, not just over the Israelites, but over the entire land of Egypt and its natural elements. Even the wind, a force we often perceive as wild and unpredictable, becomes an instrument in His hand, bringing the locusts and then whisking them away. This should inspire awe, reminding us that the God who controls plagues also directs the circumstances of our lives.
After the hail, what was left? The locusts came to finish the job, revealing how sin leaves lingering destruction.
The locust plague didn't strike a pristine land; it arrived after the devastating hail. The text specifically states that the locusts were sent to 'eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.' This illustrates how sin, once it takes root, leaves behind damage that can be exploited by further destruction. The hail damaged the crops, and the locusts consumed what little remained. This is a powerful metaphor for how unrepented sin can leave us vulnerable to further spiritual loss and devastation. It reminds us that God's judgment is thorough, dealing with what remains after initial damage, urging us toward complete repentance.
Pharaoh cries out, 'I have sinned!' but is it real? This reveals the difference between fear-driven regret and true change.
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When faced with the overwhelming destruction of the locusts, Pharaoh finally calls for Moses and Aaron, confessing, 'I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.' However, this confession is driven by terror, not transformation. He asks them to 'forgive my sin only this once,' focusing on escaping the immediate death, not on truly turning from his rebellion. This is a classic example of a superficial repentance. It’s a response to pain, not a change of heart. In contrast, the text states, 'the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart.' This doesn't mean God forced Pharaoh to be evil, but rather that He allowed Pharaoh's chosen path of defiance to solidify. Pharaoh’s persistent refusal to genuinely yield, despite repeated judgments and his own temporary confessions, leads God to withdraw His restraining influence, allowing Pharaoh’s heart to become even more resistant. This cycle of judgment, Pharaoh's shallow response, and God's sovereign hardening is a stark warning against treating God's mercy as a temporary escape route rather than an invitation to lasting change.
Understand the original words
arbeh · Hebrew Noun
A migratory insect known in the Bible as a symbol of divine judgment and devastation upon crops and resources. They represent the overwhelming, unstoppable nature of God's discipline.
This plague occurred during the escalating series of divine judgments against Egypt, demonstrating God's power over creation and Pharaoh's stubborn resistance to His will. The locusts, following the destructive hail, aimed to consume what little remained of Egypt's agriculture, underscoring the totality of God's judgment.
c. 1440 BC— this verse
Exodus from Egypt begins
The series of plagues against Egypt, designed to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery, intensifies. This plague of locusts is the eighth in the sequence.
c. 1440 BC
Plague of Hail
Immediately preceding the locusts, a devastating hailstorm destroyed much of Egypt's crops and livestock that had not already been consumed by earlier plagues.
c. 1440 BC
Pharaoh's initial (and false) repentance
Overwhelmed by the locust plague, Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron, confesses his sin, and pleads for the plague to be removed. He promises to let the Israelites go.
c. 1440 BC
Locusts removed by West Wind
God commands a strong west wind to blow the locusts into the Red Sea, removing them entirely from Egypt.
c. 1440 BC
Pharaoh's heart is hardened again
Despite his earlier plea, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, and he refuses to let the Israelites go, even after witnessing the devastating locust plague.
c. 1440 BC
Plague of Darkness
Following Pharaoh's continued defiance, God sends a plague of thick, palpable darkness upon Egypt for three days, while the Israelites in Goshen have light.
This passage directly parallels the devastation of the locusts, mentioning how God 'gave their crops to the locust and the fruit of their labor to the locust.' It emphasizes God's power to send such plagues to discipline His people and their enemies.
Joel 1:4This prophecy vividly describes the destruction of locusts in stark terms, mirroring the Exodus plague: 'What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten.' It highlights the total devastation that can come from such an infestation.
Revelation 9:3This apocalyptic vision describes locusts that torment mankind, echoing the destructive power seen in Exodus. It illustrates how locusts, even in symbolic future events, are instruments of divine judgment and distress.
Exodus 10:15This verse immediately following the one provided describes the completeness of the locusts' destruction, stating they 'covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant in the land, and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left.' It emphasizes the totality of the plague, leaving nothing green.
calvinExodus 10:12-20: "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."
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.
Tunc dixit Jehova Mosi, Extende manum tuam super terram AEgyp…
gillExodus 10:12: "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."
And the Lord said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt,.... First one way, and then another, towards every quarter, and every part of the land, to signify that the following plague would come upon the whole land: for the locusts, that they may come up upon…
This isn't just about locusts eating plants; it's about a precise, layered destruction. The plague is sent not only to devour every plant, but specifically all that the hail has left. This reveals God's judgment is not random but intensely targeted, ensuring every bit of sustenance is utterly removed, leaving nothing for the Egyptians to salvage.
Following the devastating plague of hail, God commands Moses to bring forth a plague of locusts that will consume whatever the hail missed, aiming to completely strip the land and bring Pharaoh to his knees. After this tenth plague, Pharaoh will finally relent, but it's not a genuine change of heart, as God will harden his heart again, demonstrating the futility of resisting divine power.
Following the devastating plague of hail, God commands Moses to bring forth a plague of locusts that will consume whatever the hail missed, aiming to completely strip the land and bring Pharaoh to his knees. After this tenth plague, Pharaoh will finally relent, but it's not a genuine change of heart, as God will harden his heart again, demonstrating the futility of resisting divine power.
"Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.”" — This isn't just about locusts eating plants; it's about a precise, layered destruction. The plague is sent not only to devour every plant, but specifically all that the hail has left. This reveals…
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Last reviewed October 2026