Exodus 10 12

Exodus 10:12 kjv

And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.

Exodus 10:12 nkjv

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land?all that the hail has left."

Exodus 10:12 niv

And the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail."

Exodus 10:12 esv

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left."

Exodus 10:12 nlt

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring on the locusts. Let them cover the land and devour every plant that survived the hailstorm."

Exodus 10 verses

Exodus 10 12 Meaning

Exodus 10:12 records the Lord's command to Moses to initiate the eighth plague, that of locusts. This plague was specifically designed to consume "every herb of the land," and critically, to devastate "all that the hail has left." The verse signifies a precise and total destruction of Egypt's remaining vegetation, underscoring God's absolute power and His escalating judgment against Pharaoh and the Egyptian nation. It represents a deliberate, targeted blow to Egypt's food supply and its reliance on the land, challenging the efficacy of their agricultural and fertility deities.

Exodus 10 12 Context

Exodus 10:12 occurs as part of the climactic series of plagues unleashed upon Egypt, designed to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites. Prior to this, Egypt had endured seven plagues, each escalating in severity and targeting different aspects of Egyptian life, religion, and their natural order. The immediately preceding plague was a severe hailstorm (Ex 9:18-26), which destroyed specific crops like flax and barley but spared others, notably wheat and spelt, due to their later growth season (Ex 9:31-32).

Pharaoh, despite seeing the devastation, remained hardened in heart, making minor concessions that God did not accept. This plague of locusts, therefore, serves as a direct, comprehensive strike to destroy the remaining vegetation, ensuring total agricultural ruin. It highlights God's strategic judgment, targeting what little sustenance and hope the Egyptians might have retained, making the judgment inescapable and complete. This particular plague also functions as a powerful polemic against Egyptian agricultural deities, such as Osiris (god of vegetation and fertility) and Isis (goddess of motherhood and nature), demonstrating that YHWH alone controls all life-sustaining forces.

Exodus 10 12 Word analysis

• Then the Lord said (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה - vayyōʾmer YHWH): This standard divine communication formula emphasizes God's direct initiation of the plague. YHWH, the covenant name for God, signifies His personal involvement and power over all creation and nations.

• to Moses (אֶל-מֹשֶׁה - ʾel-Mōšeh): Moses is God's appointed representative and mediator. His actions are not his own, but a channeling of God's will and power.

• Stretch out your hand (נְטֵה יָדְךָ - nəṭēh yāḏəḵā): A repeated command (e.g., Ex 7:19; 8:5, 16; 9:22), signifying a divinely empowered act of authority. It visually links Moses as God's instrument to the miraculous occurrences, leaving no doubt about the source of the plague.

• over the land of Egypt (עַל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם - ʿal-ʾereṣ Miṣrāyim): Defines the geographical scope of the judgment, emphasizing God's universal sovereignty even over Pharaoh's domain.

• for the locusts (אֶת-הָאַרְבֶּה - ʾet-hāʾarbeh): The Hebrew word ʾarbeh implies "numerousness" or "multitude," apt for the overwhelming nature of a locust swarm. This specific instrument directly attacks the economic backbone of Egypt, its agricultural output.

• that they may come upon the land of Egypt (וְיַעַל עַל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם - wəyaʿal ʿal-ʾereṣ Miṣrāyim): This purpose clause reveals the divine intent for the locusts' arrival – not accidental, but a purposeful invasion designed by God. "Come upon" signifies an overwhelming, inescapable force.

• and eat every herb of the land (וְיֹאכַל אֶת-כָּל-עֵשֶׂב הָאָרֶץ - wəyōḵal ʾet-kol-ʿēśeḇ hāʾāreṣ): "Every herb" (kol-ʿēśeḇ) highlights the totality of the devastation. It refers to all edible vegetation, emphasizing the impact on the sustenance for both humans and animals, leading to potential famine. This polemically confronts Egyptian fertility cults.

• all that the hail has left (אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁאִיר הַבָּרָד - ʾet kol-ʾăšer hišʾîr habbārāḏ): This crucial phrase points to the specific, targeted, and complete nature of God's judgment. It shows that God's judgments are not random but progressive and exhaustive, ensuring no facet of Egyptian life or worship escapes His sovereign power and judgment. The previously spared wheat and spelt would now be consumed, removing any remaining agricultural hope.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand...": This sequence highlights divine initiation and the mediatorial role of Moses. God issues the direct command, signifying His absolute control, and Moses acts as His willing instrument.
  • "...over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt...": This group specifies the target (Egypt), the instrument of judgment (locusts), and the invasive nature of the plague. It emphasizes the direct confrontation between God's will and Pharaoh's defiance within his own territory.
  • "...and eat every herb of the land, all that the hail has left": This phrase powerfully describes the comprehensive and compounding nature of the judgment. It underscores God's meticulousness in dismantling Egypt's food security and economy, directly impacting what little agricultural sustenance remained after the previous devastating hail.

Exodus 10 12 Bonus section

• Divine Precision in Judgment: The explicit mention of "all that the hail has left" signifies that God's judgment is not random or chaotic but surgically precise. He knew exactly what survived the previous plague and aimed this one to achieve complete desolation, leaving no doubt about the source or completeness of His wrath.
• Progressive Revelation of Power: Each plague, culminating in the targeting of previous remnants, progressively reveals God's increasing power and Pharaoh's escalating impotence. It was a prolonged display of divine strength to prove to both Israel and Egypt that YHWH is the one true God, distinct from and superior to all Egyptian gods.
• Challenging Human Reliance: This specific destruction aimed to crush Egypt's self-reliance on their abundant land and its deities. By utterly destroying their crops, God compelled them to acknowledge that all provision comes from Him, demonstrating His control over the fundamental elements of life and sustenance.
• The Unveiling of Hearts: The continuing plagues, including this targeted destruction, continually tested Pharaoh's heart, proving his deep-seated rebellion and unwillingness to acknowledge God's sovereignty, despite overwhelming evidence. It illustrated the principle that persistent rejection of God's warnings leads to deeper spiritual hardening.

Exodus 10 12 Commentary

Exodus 10:12 presents God's sovereign command for the eighth plague, which was strategically designed to devastate any lingering vegetation after the hail plague. This specific instruction, to target "all that the hail has left," is highly significant, revealing the meticulous and comprehensive nature of God's judgment. It underscored the point that God would leave no element of Egyptian sustenance or pride untouched, systematically dismantling their agricultural basis and, by extension, challenging the very deities (like Osiris, the god of vegetation and fertility) whom Egyptians believed sustained their land.

Moses's act of stretching out his hand consistently demonstrated that the plagues were not mere natural disasters, but supernatural acts orchestrated by the God of Israel, carried out through His chosen prophet. This precise targeting not only intensified the physical suffering of the Egyptians, but it also served as a profound spiritual and theological lesson. It showed Pharaoh that his stubbornness would lead to total ruin, highlighting the divine attribute of being slow to anger yet just in judgment. The command's fulfillment would leave Egypt facing imminent famine, demonstrating YHWH's undisputed power over creation and His complete authority over nations, even over the most powerful empire of that age. The repeated pattern of command and immediate obedience from Moses also teaches the essential principle of submitting to God's will for divine work to be accomplished.