Day 21, Exodus 10-12

The plagues continue, yet Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened.

The Eight Plague: Locusts

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”

-Exodus 10:1-2

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and asked him why he refused to humble himself to the Lord. The next day, the Lord would send swarms of locusts to the land to cover everything. They would eat every tree in the fields, and would fill their houses. The servants wanted Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go because Egypt was ruined because of this. Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron that only the men could go to serve the Lord, and not the little ones. They told Pharaoh that all their people would be set free, but Pharaoh got angry and sent them away. When the swarms of locusts arrived and covered everything, Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. He said that he had sinned against the Lord and asked for forgiveness, and to remove this death from him. The Lord sent a strong wind that blew the locusts away until not a single one was left. But the Lord hardened the Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people go.

The Ninth Plague: Darkness
The Lord commanded Moses to stretch out his hand and set a darkness over the land of Egypt. There was pitch darkness for three days in Egypt, but light remained for the people of Israel where they lived. Pharaoh told Moses that they could take the little ones as well to go serve the Lord. Moses said they would need sacrifices and burnt offerings, so they would need to take the livestock as well. But, the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Pharaoh told him to go away, and that he never wanted to see his face again.

The Lord told Moses that He had one more plague he would bring upon Pharaoh and the land of Egypt, and afterward he would let the people go. The Lord directed Moses to have all the people of Israel go to their neighbors and ask for silver and gold jewelry. The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.

The Lord directed Moses to tell Pharaoh that at midnight He would go in the midst of Egypt and every firstborn child in the land will die. There would be a great cry throughout Egypt, such as there has never been nor will be again. But the Lord knew Pharaoh would not listen to him.

Then they prepared for Passover. The Lord told Moses and Aaron that this month would be the first month of the year for them. They were to tell the congregation to take a lamb on the tenth day, according to the households. The lamb should be without blemish and be a one year old male. They would keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel would kill their lambs at twilight.

Then, they would take some blood from the lambs and put it on their two doorsteps and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night with their belt fastened, sandals on their feet, and staff in hand. And they should eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborns in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.”

-Exodus 12:12-14

The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn
At midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. There was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and told them to take themselves and the people of Israel and go serve the Lord.

“Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”

-Exodus 12:31-32

The 600,000 people of Israel left Egypt and journeyed to Succoth The people of Israel were in Egypt 430 years before being released to leave.