Exodus 10 13

Exodus 10:13 kjv

And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

Exodus 10:13 nkjv

So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

Exodus 10:13 niv

So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the LORD made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts;

Exodus 10:13 esv

So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts.

Exodus 10:13 nlt

So Moses raised his staff over Egypt, and the LORD caused an east wind to blow over the land all that day and through the night. When morning arrived, the east wind had brought the locusts.

Exodus 10 verses

Exodus 10 13 Meaning

This verse details the immediate execution of the eighth plague against Egypt, the plague of locusts. It describes Moses' obedient action in stretching out his staff, followed by the LORD's direct and powerful intervention by sending a precise east wind. This wind blew for a full day and night, specifically bringing the locusts by the following morning, fulfilling God's declared judgment upon Pharaoh and Egypt's land and crops.

Exodus 10 13 Context

Exodus chapter 10 recounts the eighth and ninth plagues. Following the deeply disturbing darkness and refusal of Pharaoh to let Israel go, this verse marks the commencement of the eighth plague. The chapter highlights Pharaoh's persistent defiance and the escalating severity of God's judgments. Moses had previously warned Pharaoh that if he refused to release Israel, an unprecedented swarm of locusts would cover the land, consuming everything the hail had spared and leaving nothing green. Historically, ancient Egypt, reliant on the Nile for its fertility, was highly susceptible to agricultural devastation. The locust plague was not unknown but typically manageable; however, the plague described here was divinely orchestrated in its timing, intensity, and duration. This act was a direct challenge to Egyptian deities associated with fertility, crops, and wind, such as Serapis (god of grain) and Shu (god of air and wind), demonstrating YHWH's absolute sovereignty over all of creation and Egypt's gods.

Exodus 10 13 Word analysis

• So: (וַיֵּט vayyēt) Indicates a direct consequence or continuation. Moses acts immediately upon the LORD's command.
• Moses stretched out: (נָטָה natah) To stretch out, extend. This verb consistently signifies an authoritative, directed action, often preceding a miraculous divine act. It's a visible symbol of God's power mediated through Moses.
• his staff: (מַטֶּה matteh) The staff, an ordinary shepherd's tool, is here imbued with extraordinary power. It serves as an extension of God's hand, not a magical object in itself. It is a recurring symbol of Moses' God-given authority throughout the plagues.
• over the land of Egypt: Specifies the precise geographical target of the plague, demonstrating God's targeted judgment, not a random natural disaster.
• and the LORD: (יְהוָה YHWH) The divine name emphasizes the personal, covenant God of Israel as the active agent, distinct from any general force or nature's randomness. It underscores His direct involvement.
• brought: (נָהַג nahag) Drove, led, guided. Implies a controlled and intentional movement. God actively directed the wind.
• an east wind: (רוּחַ הַקָּדִים ruach haqadim) In the ancient Near East, an east wind was often associated with hot, dry, destructive air from the desert. It was the natural vector for locusts coming from the Arabian deserts or the Sinai Peninsula. Its deployment here signifies God's absolute command over natural forces, countering Egyptian belief systems where wind was often governed by specific deities.
• upon the land: Reinforces the widespread impact across the entire geographical region.
• all that day and all that night: Indicates the sustained duration and overwhelming nature of the wind. This precise timing ensured the immense scale of the locust invasion.
• and when it was morning: Marks the culmination point, the successful conclusion of the wind's divinely purposed work, and the visual evidence of the locusts' arrival.
• the east wind had brought the locusts: Establishes a clear, divinely orchestrated causal link. The wind was not random but a precise instrument in God's hand for bringing the destructive locusts as promised.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "Moses stretched out his staff": This phrase highlights Moses' obedient role as an intermediary and God's sovereign power manifesting through a simple instrument. It is not Moses' inherent power, but God acting through him.
  • "the LORD brought an east wind": Emphasizes divine control over natural phenomena. It is not an accident or a typical weather pattern but a deliberate act of the covenant God to fulfill His judgment. This powerfully challenges the Egyptian pantheon and their perceived control over nature.
  • "all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts": This sequence reveals God's meticulous timing and persistent action. The specific duration and timing for the arrival of the locusts underscore divine precision and purpose, differentiating it from an ordinary plague.

Exodus 10 13 Bonus section

The seemingly "natural" means (wind, locusts) used by God in this plague are perfectly timed and calibrated, highlighting that there is no hard boundary between "natural" and "supernatural" when God is the ultimate orchestrator. All creation is subject to His command. This serves as a powerful demonstration that YHWH governs both the ordinary course of nature and can alter it precisely for His redemptive and judgmental purposes. This event reinforces the central theme of the plagues: proving YHWH's unmatched glory and power, compelling recognition of Him as the one true God among both Egyptians and Israelites.

Exodus 10 13 Commentary

Exodus 10:13 exemplifies God's unwavering power, His control over creation, and His faithfulness to His word. Moses' simple act of obedience, stretching out his staff, triggers a complex natural event—a sustained, directed east wind—that serves as a supernatural instrument of divine judgment. This precisely timed and powerful wind demonstrates that the LORD is not merely a regional deity, but the sovereign ruler over all natural elements, effortlessly bringing forth the promised plague of locusts. This act further dismantles Pharaoh's resistance, proving the supremacy of YHWH over all Egyptian gods associated with weather, fertility, and even destructive forces, by wielding those very forces against Egypt's sustenance.