So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The miracle isn't just the locusts themselves, but the precise control of the wind to bring them. God commanded an east wind to blow for an entire day and night, orchestrating their arrival for morning, showing His absolute authority over the natural world to accomplish His purposes.
So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following the devastating plague of hail, God instructs Moses to stretch out his hand again, this time to bring forth a swarm of locusts. This plague is specifically designed to devour what the hail left, leaving absolutely nothing green behind. God orchestrates an east wind to carry these locusts, initiating a devastating infestation that will grip the land.
The Bible doesn't just tell stories; it reveals a God who is intimately involved with the very fabric of His creation. How does this plague of locusts show that God controls the winds and the creatures they carry?
When Moses stretched out his hand (or rod) over Egypt, it wasn't a mere gesture. It was a divine signal for God to act. The text states, 'the LORD brought an east wind.' This isn't accidental. God, who holds the winds in His hand and commands them, specifically orchestrated an east wind.
This wind wasn't just a weather event; it was the delivery system for the locusts. It brought them 'all that day and all that night.' By morning, the east wind had fulfilled its purpose, depositing a devastating swarm.
Think about it: God didn't create the locusts out of thin air for this plague. He used existing swarms, likely from regions like Arabia (as commentators note), and directed them precisely where and when He intended. The miracle wasn't just the locusts themselves, but the supernatural orchestration of natural forces to execute His judgment.
Plagues in the Bible aren't random acts of destruction. They carry specific messages. What was the purpose behind this devastating locust plague, and how does the text show its targeted nature?
This plague of locusts was no ordinary infestation. It was a direct consequence of Pharaoh's hardened heart and continued refusal to let God's people go. As God told Moses in the preceding verse (Exodus 10:4), 'If you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country.'
The precision of this judgment is astounding. The east wind specifically brought them, and they 'went up over all the land of Egypt' (Exodus 10:14). Their purpose was clear: 'to eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left' (Exodus 10:12). Nothing green was spared.
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This wasn't just about physical destruction; it was a theological statement. It demonstrated that the gods of Egypt, or any power Pharaoh trusted, were utterly helpless against the God of Israel. This plague, like the others, was designed to reveal the sovereign power of the LORD and to press Pharaoh towards repentance, even as it stripped away Egypt's provision and pride.
Understand the original words
matteh · Hebrew Noun
A symbol of authority, power, and divine intervention. Used by prophets, it often represents the instrument through which God performs miraculous signs or brings judgment.
ruach · Hebrew Noun
Often associated with divine judgment, power, or direction in Scripture. Winds can be vehicles of God's sovereign command over nature to execute His will or bring about His purposes.
The miracle of the locusts wasn't just their sudden appearance, but the specific, powerful east wind that carried them, demonstrating God's control over natural forces to execute His judgment.
c. 1446 BC
Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh
Moses and Aaron repeatedly demanded Pharaoh release the Israelites. Pharaoh's refusal led to a series of ten devastating plagues sent by God.
c. 1446 BC
Plague of Hail
A devastating hailstorm destroyed much of the remaining crops and livestock in Egypt, affecting every person and animal not in shelter.
c. 1446 BC
The Tenth Plague Announced
After the hail, Moses warned Pharaoh of the impending plague of locusts, which would consume everything the hail had left.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Plague of Locusts Unleashed
Moses stretched out his hand, and an east wind brought immense swarms of locusts that covered the land, devouring all remaining vegetation.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Confession and Relapse
Terrified by the locusts, Pharaoh confessed his sin and asked Moses to pray for their removal. Once the locusts were gone, his heart hardened again.
c. 1446 BC
Plague of Darkness
Following Pharaoh's continued refusal, God sent a thick, palpable darkness over Egypt for three days, while the Israelites had light.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Final Refusal and Threat
After the plague of darkness, Pharaoh agreed to let the people go but then threatened Moses, leading to the final plague.
This passage directly references the plague of locusts, describing how God 'gave their crops to the locust, and the fruit of their labor to the locust.' It highlights the destructive power of the locusts as a divine judgment.
Joel 1:4The prophet Joel vividly describes a devastating locust plague, using imagery that parallels the one in Exodus. This shows the recurring theme of locusts as a divine scourge for sin and unfaithfulness.
This book, though not part of the Jewish canon, reflects on the plagues of Egypt and describes the locusts as a 'new kind of creature,' emphasizing the miraculous and divinely orchestrated nature of the plague.
This Psalm recounts God's actions in delivering Israel from Egypt, mentioning how God 'commanded locusts, and they were without number.' It reinforces that the locusts were sent by God's command.
gillExodus 10:13: "And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts."
And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt,.... His hand, with his rod in it: and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land, all that day and all that night; all that day after he had been driven from Pharaoh, and after he had stretched out his hand with his rod in i…
bensonExodus 10:13: "And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts."
Exodus 10:13 . The east wind brought the locusts — From Arabia, where they are in great numbers: and God miraculously increased them. The locusts are usually conveyed by the wind. In the year 1527 great troops of locusts were brought by a strong wind out of Turkey into Poland, which…
The miracle isn't just the locusts themselves, but the precise control of the wind to bring them. God commanded an east wind to blow for an entire day and night, orchestrating their arrival for morning, showing His absolute authority over the natural world to accomplish His purposes.
Following the devastating plague of hail, God instructs Moses to stretch out his hand again, this time to bring forth a swarm of locusts. This plague is specifically designed to devour what the hail left, leaving absolutely nothing green behind. God orchestrates an east wind to carry these locusts, initiating a devastating infestation that will grip the land.
Following the devastating plague of hail, God instructs Moses to stretch out his hand again, this time to bring forth a swarm of locusts. This plague is specifically designed to devour what the hail left, leaving absolutely nothing green behind. God orchestrates an east wind to carry these locusts, initiating a devastating infestation that will grip the land.
"So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts." — The miracle isn't just the locusts themselves, but the precise control of the wind to bring them. God commanded an east wind to blow for an entire day and night, orchestrating their arrival for morni…
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Last reviewed October 2026