Ex. 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:

Ex. 10:2 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.

The Lord tells Moses to go back to Pharaoh. He also tells him that He is the one hardening Pharaoh’s heart and the heart of his servants. (Again, I believe God is using Pharaoh’s will to accomplish His purpose. I don’t believe He is causing Pharaoh or his servants to act contrary to his/their will.) He explains that He wants the Israelites to be able to tell their children and grandchildren through the years about the miraculous signs God had performed in Egypt and how He had dealt harshly with Egypt. (I believe partly in judgment for their harsh treatment of the Israelites.) These stories of deliverance would help them remember that He is the Lord!

Ex. 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 may serve me.

Ex. 10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:

Ex. 10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:

Ex. 10:6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.

Ex. 10:7 And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Again, Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh and tell him that if he doesn’t let the people go, “the Lord God of the Hebrews” will send locusts into the country the next day. They basically ask him what it is going to take for him to realize that he has no choice but to let the people go. The locusts will cover the ground in such numbers that the ground will not be visible. They will eat everything left from the hail, including the trees. They will even fill the houses. Pharaoh’s officials had had enough. They begged Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Egypt was being ruined (because of his pride).

Ex. 10:8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?

Ex. 10:9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.

Ex. 10:10 And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.

Ex. 10:11 Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

So Moses and Aaron were called back and asked who all would be going to worship. Pharaoh was told that all the people, flocks and herds would go to hold a feast unto the Lord. Pharaoh basically said, “fat chance.” He said that only the men could go, and then Moses and Aaron were driven out.

Ex. 10:12 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.

Ex. 10:13 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.

Ex. 10:14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

Ex. 10:15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

So at God’s command, Moses stretched out his rod over Egypt, and God caused an east wind to blow across the land all day and night. By the morning the wind had brought the locusts, and they invaded Egypt and devoured every green thing left from the hail.

Ex. 10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.

Ex. 10:17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

Ex. 10:18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.

Ex. 10:19 And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

Ex. 10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

Again, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. Again, he admits his sin and then asks for forgiveness and for Moses to pray and ask God to remove the locusts. So Moses prayed, and God changed the wind to a west wind that carried the locusts to the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in Egypt. Again, the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the people go.

Ex. 10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

Ex. 10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

Ex. 10:23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Then the Lord commanded Moses to stretch his hand toward the sky to cause “a darkness that could be felt” all over Egypt—except where the Israelites lived. The darkness lasted three days. No one was able to see anyone else. They didn’t move from their locations for three days. (3/10) This evidently affected their ability to utilize any other type of light.

Ex. 10:24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.

Ex. 10:25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

Ex. 10:26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.

Ex. 10:27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.

Finally, Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron and tells them to go ahead and take the women and children, but to leave the livestock. Moses told him that they needed their livestock for sacrifices and wouldn’t know which ones they needed until they got to the place of worship. Again, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the people go.

Ex. 10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

Ex. 10:29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

Then he told Moses to leave and threatened him with his life if he came before him again. Moses basically said so be it.