Locusts on the Horizon
Our Father sends locusts to eat whatever the hail spared, until nothing green is left; Pharaoh's officials ask him whether he sees Egypt is ruined. Then darkness thick enough to feel holds Egypt three days while Israel has light. The bargaining ends with Pharaoh threatening Moses' life.
10 1Then our Father told Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I hardened his heart and his servants' hearts, to put my signs among them. 2Tell your son and grandson how I mocked the Egyptians and set my signs among them, so you know I am your Father."
3Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the Father of the Hebrews says: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go to serve me.' 4For if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I'll bring locusts into your territory. 5They will cover the land's surface, hiding the ground, eat what hail left you, and eat every tree growing for you in the field. 6They'll fill your houses, your servants', all Egyptians'—as your fathers and grandfathers never saw, from their days on earth until now." Then he turned and left Pharaoh.
7Pharaoh's officials said, "How long will this man trap us? Let the people go, so they can serve their God. Don't you know yet Egypt is ruined?"
8Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "Go, serve God," he said. "But who's going?"
9Moses said, "With our young and old we'll go; sons, daughters, flocks, herds—we'll go, for we have a feast to our Father."
10He said to them, "God be with you—as if I'd let you and your little ones go! See, you have evil in mind. 11No! You men go serve God, since that's what you want." So Pharaoh drove them from his presence.
12Then our Father said to Moses, "Stretch your hand over Egypt for locusts to come up over Egypt and eat every plant of the land the hail left."
13Moses stretched his staff over Egypt, and our Father drove an east wind across the land all day and all night; by morning it carried in the locusts. 14Locusts came up over all Egypt, settling across its whole territory—so severe, none like them before, nor ever will be again. 15They covered the whole land's surface, darkening it, and ate every land plant, all tree fruit the hail spared—no green left on tree or field plant in all the land of Egypt. 16So Pharaoh quickly called Moses and Aaron, saying, "I have sinned against your God and against you. 17Please forgive my sin only this once, and beg your God to remove only this death from me."
18So Moses went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with our Father. 19Then our Father turned the wind into a very strong west wind that lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea; not one locust remained in all Egypt's territory. 20But our Father hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the people of Israel go.
Three Days of Darkness
21Then our Father told Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, so darkness covers the land of Egypt—darkness thick enough to feel."
22Moses stretched his hand toward the sky; thick darkness covered all the land of Egypt three days. 23No one could see another, and no one left his place three days, but all Israelites had light in their homes.
24Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Go, serve your God. Even your children may go—only leave your flocks and herds behind."
25Moses said, "You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings to offer to our Father. 26Our livestock must go with us too—not a hoof stays behind. We'll take some to serve our Father; we won't know what we need to serve him until we arrive there."
27But our Father hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28Pharaoh said to him, "Leave me! Careful—don't see my face again, for the day you see my face, you die."
29Moses said, "You have spoken rightly. I will never see your face again."
