12 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Stretch out thy hand against the land of Egypt for the locust, and it goeth up against the land of Egypt, and doth eat every herb of the land—all that the hail hath left.' 13 And Moses stretcheth out his rod against the land of Egypt, and Jehovah hath led an east wind over the land all that day, and all the night; the morning hath been, and the east wind hath lifted up the locust. 14 And the locust goeth up against all the land of Egypt, and resteth in all the border of Egypt—very grievous: before it there hath not been such a locust as it, and after it there is none such; 15 and it covereth the eye of all the land, and the land is darkened; and it eateth every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail hath left, and there hath not been left any green thing in the trees, or in the herb of the field, in all the land of Egypt.' 16 And Pharaoh hasteth to call for Moses and for Aaron, and saith, 'I have sinned against Jehovah your God, and against you, 17 and now, bear with, I pray you, my sin, only this time, and make ye supplication to Jehovah your God, that He turn aside from off me only this death.' 18 And he goeth out from Pharaoh, and maketh supplication unto Jehovah, 19 and Jehovah turneth a very strong sea wind, and it lifteth up the locust, and bloweth it into the Red Sea—there hath not been left one locust in all the border of Egypt; 20 and Jehovah strengtheneth the heart of Pharaoh, and he hath not sent the sons of Israel away.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 10:12-20
Commentary on Exodus 10:12-20
(Read Exodus 10:12-20)
God bids Moses stretch out his hand; locusts came at the call. An army might more easily have been resisted than this host of insects. Who then is able to stand before the great God? They covered the face of the earth, and ate up the fruit of it. Herbs grow for the service of man; yet when God pleases, insects shall plunder him, and eat the bread out of his mouth. Let our labour be, not for the habitation and meat thus exposed, but for those which endure to eternal life. Pharaoh employs Moses and Aaron to pray for him. There are those, who, in distress, seek the help of other people's prayers, but have no mind to pray for themselves. They show thereby that they have no true love to God, nor any delight in communion with him. Pharaoh desires only that this death might be taken away, not this sin. He wishes to get rid of the plague of locusts, not the plague of a hard heart, which was more dangerous. An east wind brought the locusts, a west wind carries them off. Whatever point the wind is in, it is fulfilling God's word, and turns by his counsel. The wind bloweth where it listeth, as to us; but not so as it respects God. It was also an argument for their repentance; for by this it appeared that God is ready to forgive, and swift to show mercy. If he does this upon the outward tokens of humiliation, what will he do if we are sincere! Oh that this goodness of God might lead us to repentance! Pharaoh returned to his resolution again, not to let the people go. Those who have often baffled their convictions, are justly given up to the lusts of their hearts.