Exodus 10:21
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This isn't just a thick fog; the Hebrew phrase here implies a darkness so profound that it could be physically grasped or felt, like a tangible substance. It wasn't merely the absence of light, but a heavy, oppressive presence that God Himself commanded to descend.
The narrative is building towards the final, devastating plague. Following the plague of locusts and the subsequent hardening of Pharaoh's heart, God instructs Moses to bring a darkness so profound it's almost tangible upon the land of Egypt. This isn't just the absence of light; it's a thick, oppressive gloom meant to terrify the Egyptians and reveal the impotence of their own gods, while the Israelites in Goshen remain untouched.
Imagine a darkness so profound, so thick, that you could almost reach out and touch it. This wasn't just the absence of light; it was a palpable presence.
The ninth plague upon Egypt is described as a darkness that could be "felt." This phrase doesn't just mean it was intensely dark. Scholars suggest it implies the darkness was caused by thick, heavy vapors or fogs, so dense they were almost tangible.
A Physical Sensation
The Egyptians worshipped the sun as their most powerful deity. What happens when the sun itself is utterly defeated?
This plague was a direct theological blow to Egypt's religious system. Their primary god, Ra, was the sun god, the giver of light and life.
Divine Humiliation
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The proper name of the God of Israel, the covenant-keeping I AM who revealed Himself to Moses. It signifies God's self-existence, eternal nature, and personal relationship with His people.
shamayim · Hebrew Noun
The expanse above the earth, often used in Scripture to represent the dwelling place of God and the domain of His authority over creation. Stretching the hand toward it symbolizes an appeal to or action from God's divine realm.
choshek · Hebrew Noun
A state of absence of light, frequently used in Scripture as a symbol of divine judgment, spiritual blindness, the domain of evil, or separation from God's presence.
This plague of darkness wasn't just the absence of light; it was a tangible, oppressive force, emphasizing God's power over Egypt's gods and striking terror into their hearts. It directly preceded the final plague and Israel's liberation.
~1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
The liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, marking a pivotal moment in their history and God's covenant with them.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Ninth Plague: Darkness
God sends a thick, palpable darkness over Egypt for three days, a terrifying plague that even affects the Egyptians' senses and worship.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh Concedes (partially)
Terrified by the darkness, Pharaoh allows the Israelites to leave with their families, but tries to keep their livestock. Moses refuses.
c. 1446 BC
The Tenth Plague: Firstborn Slain
Following Pharaoh's refusal to release the livestock, God announces the final and most devastating plague: the death of every Egyptian firstborn.
This Psalm directly references the plague of darkness, describing how God 'turned their waters into blood and made their fish die' and then 'brought darkness and made it dark'. It reinforces the idea that these were divine acts against Egypt.
Amos 8:9This prophetic passage speaks of a future judgment where God declares, 'I will make the sun go down at noon and will darken the earth in the clear day.' This echoes the supernatural darkness that afflicted Egypt, showing God's power to control the heavens for judgment.
Matthew 27:45During Jesus' crucifixion, a similar darkness covered the land for three hours. This New Testament event, like the Egyptian plague, points to a profound, divinely orchestrated darkness that signifies immense cosmic significance and divine wrath.
2 Corinthians 4:6Paul uses the concept of light and darkness to describe spiritual illumination, stating 'For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.' This contrasts the oppressive darkness of Egypt with the saving light God offers through Christ.
Revelation 16:10This passage describes a plague of darkness poured out on the 'throne of the beast', causing 'pain' and 'gnawing their tongues because of the pain.' This echoes the tangible, painful nature of the darkness in Exodus, connecting it to future divine judgment and torment.
gillExodus 10:21: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."
And the Lord said unto Moses,.... About the eleventh day of the month Abib: stretch out thine hand toward heaven; where the luminaries are, and from whence light comes: that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt; that is, what caused it, the gross vapours and thick fogs; for otherwise darkn…
cambridgeExodus 10:21: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."
21 . Stretch out , &c.] addressed to Moses , as Exodus 9:22 , Exo Exodus 10:12 (both E). even darkness which may be felt ] lit. so that one may feel darkness . (LXX. ψηλαφητὸν σκότος ; Vulg. tam densae ut palpari queant ). The marg. ‘feel (or grope) in darkness’ is not favoured by the Heb. 21–27 . The ninth plague. The darkness.…
This isn't just a thick fog; the Hebrew phrase here implies a darkness so profound that it could be physically grasped or felt, like a tangible substance. It wasn't merely the absence of light, but a heavy, oppressive presence that God Himself commanded to descend.
The narrative is building towards the final, devastating plague. Following the plague of locusts and the subsequent hardening of Pharaoh's heart, God instructs Moses to bring a darkness so profound it's almost tangible upon the land of Egypt. This isn't just the absence of light; it's a thick, oppressive gloom meant to terrify the Egyptians and reveal the impotence of their own gods, while the Israelites in Goshen remain untouched.
The narrative is building towards the final, devastating plague. Following the plague of locusts and the subsequent hardening of Pharaoh's heart, God instructs Moses to bring a darkness so profound it's almost tangible upon the land of Egypt. This isn't just the absence of light; it's a thick, oppressive gloom meant to terrify the Egyptians and reveal the impotence of their own gods, while the Israelites in Goshen remain untouched.
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While Egyptians groped in terrifying darkness, God's people experienced something entirely different. This plague highlighted an astonishing contrast.
The profound darkness that afflicted Egypt did not extend to the Israelites living in the land of Goshen. This distinction is crucial, showing God's protective care and selective judgment.
Light in the Darkness
"Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”" — This isn't just a thick fog; the Hebrew phrase here implies a darkness so profound that it could be physically grasped or felt, like a tangible substance. It wasn't merely the absence of light, but a…
