And the LORD turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights God's absolute control over creation: not only did He summon the locusts with an east wind, but He then commanded a powerful "sea-wind" to sweep them entirely away, demonstrating that even the natural forces obey His will. The complete eradication of every single locust underscores the totality of His power and the precision of His judgment.
And the LORD turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following Pharaoh's desperate plea for Moses to remove the locusts, God responds by sending a powerful west wind. This wind sweeps away every single locust, driving them into the Red Sea so that none remain to plague Egypt. This decisive action marks the end of the locust plague, but it immediately precedes God hardening Pharaoh's heart once more, leading to the plague of darkness.
How can a simple change in wind direction be a sign of God's power? This plague reveals a profound truth about how God works in the world.
In this climactic plague, the wind itself becomes an instrument of God's judgment. An east wind brought the locusts, but now a mighty west wind, described as a 'sea-wind,' sweeps them away.
After the devastation, a striking detail reveals the totality of God's power. What does the absence of even one locust signify?
The plague of locusts was utterly destructive, leaving nothing green in Egypt. The removal of these pests is just as remarkable as their arrival.
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This plague demonstrates God's control over natural forces like wind and sea, showing that even the vast swarms of locusts, a common natural phenomenon, are subject to His command. The complete eradication of the locusts highlights the supernatural nature of God's intervention.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Plague of Locusts
As the tenth plague, locusts are sent upon Egypt. They consume all remaining vegetation after the hail, demonstrating God's power over Pharaoh and Egyptian gods.
c. 1446 BC
Locusts Removed by Wind
A strong west wind, a 'sea-wind,' drives the locusts into the Red Sea, eradicating them completely from Egypt. This event occurs immediately after the plague of locusts.
c. 1446 BC
Plague of Darkness
Following the locusts, a thick, palpable darkness covers Egypt for three days, a sign of God's judgment and a stark contrast to the light enjoyed by the Israelites.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Negotiation
Pharaoh attempts to bargain with Moses, offering to let the people go but keep their livestock, revealing his continued resistance and God's hardening of his heart.
c. 1446 BC
Final Plague Announced
God announces the impending death of the firstborn of Egypt and livestock, the final plague that will compel Pharaoh to let Israel go.
This passage describes a similar plague of locusts, highlighting how God can use natural forces like the wind to remove them, just as the east wind brought them in Exodus and the west wind took them away.
Psalm 107:25This verse speaks of God commanding the wind and waves, showing His sovereign control over the elements, which is evident in how He directed the strong west wind to remove the locusts.
Revelation 9:3This prophetic passage describes locusts that come out of the smoke of a pit, echoing the theme of devastating locust plagues sent by God, though in Revelation these are demonic in nature, unlike the natural (though supernaturally directed) locusts in Exodus.
Matthew 8:27The disciples' awe at Jesus calming the storm demonstrates that even natural forces are subject to His command, just as the wind that carried away the locusts was under God's absolute authority.
gillExodus 10:19: "And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt."
And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind,.... He turned the wind the contrary way it before blew; it was an east wind that brought the locusts, but now it was changed into a west wind, or "a wind of the sea" (u), of the Mediterranean sea; a wind which blew from thence, which lay to the west of Egypt, as the Red…
cambridgeExodus 10:19: "And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt."
19 . turned , &c.] i.e. caused by a change a west wind to blow. west wind ] Heb. a sea-wind . The ‘west’ is regularly in Heb. the sea ( Genesis 12:8 ; Genesis 13:14 , &c.). The idiom must have formed itself in Palestine, where the ‘sea’ was on the west. It is a common fate of locust swarms to be driven away by the w…
This verse highlights God's absolute control over creation: not only did He summon the locusts with an east wind, but He then commanded a powerful "sea-wind" to sweep them entirely away, demonstrating that even the natural forces obey His will. The complete eradication of every single locust underscores the totality of His power and the precision of His judgment.
Following Pharaoh's desperate plea for Moses to remove the locusts, God responds by sending a powerful west wind. This wind sweeps away every single locust, driving them into the Red Sea so that none remain to plague Egypt. This decisive action marks the end of the locust plague, but it immediately precedes God hardening Pharaoh's heart once more, leading to the plague of darkness.
Following Pharaoh's desperate plea for Moses to remove the locusts, God responds by sending a powerful west wind. This wind sweeps away every single locust, driving them into the Red Sea so that none remain to plague Egypt. This decisive action marks the end of the locust plague, but it immediately precedes God hardening Pharaoh's heart once more, leading to the plague of darkness.
"And the LORD turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt." — This verse highlights God's absolute control over creation: not only did He summon the locusts with an east wind, but He then commanded a powerful "sea-wind" to sweep them entirely away, demonstratin…
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Last reviewed October 2026