Exodus 10:4

_ELSE, IF THOU REFUSE TO LET MY PEOPLE GO, BEHOLD, TO MORROW WILL I BRING THE LOCUSTS INTO THY COAST:_ Tomorrow will I bring the locusts. Moses was commissioned to renew the request so often made and denied, with an assurance that an unfavourable answer would be followed on the morrow by an invasion of locusts. This species of insect resembles a large, spotted, red and black, double-winged grasshopper, about three inches or less in length, with the two hind legs working like hinged springs of immense strength and elasticity. Perhaps no more terrible scourge was ever brought on a land than those voracious insects, which fly in such countless numbers as to darken the land which they infest; and on whatever place they alight, they convert it into a waste and barren desert, stripping the ground of its verdure, the trees of their leaves and bark, and producing in a few hours a degree of deso...

4._Else, if thou refuse. _Moses denounces the extreme dearth and famine of the land of Egypt, because the locusts will suddenly arise, altogether to consume the remaining produce of the year; for half of it had already been destroyed by the hail. But, although ancient histories bear witness, and it has happened also in our time, that not only cornfields, but that pastures have been devoured by locusts, still we may gather from the circumstances, that this was an extraordinary instance of the divine vengeance; because Moses both appoints the next day, and also relates that an incredible multitude suddenly burst forth, and adds, that such had never been seen; and, lastly, threatens that no house should be exempt from their invasion. Moreover, it is worth while again to remark the nature of the scourge, that God collects and arms a host of vile insects, whereby He may insultingly overcome t...

1-11 The plagues of Egypt show the sinfulness of sin. They warn the children of men not to strive with their Maker. Pharaoh had pretended to humble himself; but no account was made of it, for he was not sincere therein. The plague of locusts is threatened. This should be much worse than any of that kind which had ever been known. Pharaoh's attendants persuade him to come to terms with Moses. Hereupon Pharaoh will allow the men to go, falsely pretending that this was all they desired. He swears that they shall not remove their little ones. Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children to serve him. He is a sworn enemy to early piety. Whatever would put us from engaging our children in God's service, we have reason to suspect Satan in it. Nor should the young forget that the Lord's counsel is, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth; b...

_THE_ EIGHTH _PLAGUE - THE_ LOCUSTS Verse Exodus 10:4. _TO-MORROW WILL I BRING THE LOCUSTS_] The word ארבה _arbeh_, a _locust_, is probably from the root רבה _rabah_, he _multiplied, became great_, _mighty_, c. because of the immense swarms of these animals by which different countries, especially the east, are infested. The locust, in _entomology_, belongs to a genus of insects known among naturalists by the term GRYLLI; and includes three species, crickets, grasshoppers, and those commonly called locusts; and as they multiply faster than any other animal in creation, they are properly entitled to the name ארבה _arbeh_, which might be translated the _numerous_ or _multiplied insect_. See this circumstance referred to,...

THE LOCUSTS - The locust is less common in Egypt than in many eastern countries, yet it is well known, and dreaded as the most terrible of scourges. They come generally from the western deserts, but sometimes from the east and the southeast. No less than nine names are given to the locust in the Bible, of which the word used here is the most common (ארבה _'arbeh_); it signifies “multitudinous,” and whenever it occurs reference is made to its terrible devastations....

EXPOSITION THE EIGHTH PLAGUE. Notwithstanding his self-condemnation and acknowledgment of the righteousness of God in all the judgments that had been sent upon him (Exodus 9:27), Pharaoh no sooner found that the seventh plague had ceased than he reverted to his old obstinacy. He both wilfully hardened his own heart (Exodus 9:34); and God, by the unfailing operation of his moral laws, further blunted or hardened it (Exodus 10:1). Accordingly, it became necessary that his stubbornness should be punished by one other severe infliction. Locusts, God's "great army," as they are elsewhere called (Joel

ELSE, IF THOU REFUSE TO LET MY PEOPLE GO,.... He threatens him with the following plague, the plague of the locusts, which Pliny x calls "denrum irae pestis": BEHOLD, TOMORROW WILL I BRING THE LOCUSTS INTO THY COAST; according to Bishop Usher y this was about the seventh day of the month Abib, that this plague was threatened, and on the morrow, which was the eighth day, it was brought; but Aben Ezra relates it as an opinion of Japhet an Hebrew writer, that there were many days between the plague of the hail, and the plague of the locusts, that there might be time for the grass and plants to spring out of the field; but this seems not necessary, for these locusts only ate of what were left of the hail, as in the following verse. x Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 29. y Annales Vet. Test. p. 21....

Exodus 10:1. _And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD._ God would stamp the early history of Israel with the deep impression of his Godhead. His overthrow of the proud Egyptian king should let Israel know in the very beginning how great a God had chosen her to be his own peculiar portion. Exodus 10:3. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they m

CHAPTER 10 THE EIGHTH AND NINTH PLAGUES _ 1. The eighth plague: locusts (Exodus 10:1)_ 2. Pharaoh's renewed confession and refusal (Exodus 10:16) 3. The ninth plague: darkness (Exodus 10:21) 4. Pharaoh's anger (Exodus 10:27) The eighth plague is introduced by another warning; the ninth came without it. As a result of the eighth plague, Pharaoh confessed his sin against God and against Moses and Aaron; but after the ninth plague drove Moses from his presence and threatened the divine messenger with death. Locusts covered the face of the whole earth and every green thing was destroyed. On the

8°. A LOCUST SWARM (Exodus 10:1 J; Exodus 10:12 a, Egypt, E; Exodus 10:13 b J; Exodus 10:14 a E; Exodus 10:14 b and rested to Exodus 10:15 a darkened, J; Exodus 10:15 b E to left; Exodus 10:15 c - Exodus 10:19 J;...