Exodus Chapters 9-10
At God’s direction, Moses has placed six plagues on Egypt, in at attempt to get the Egyptian Pharaoh to release the Israelites from their long bondage of hard labor. History tells us a total of 10 such disasters struck Egypt (three series of three each with a final one being the most devastating to the Pharaoh).
The last three plagues in the three series of three each involved hail, locusts and darkness. Like the first two series, the first of three was instituted with an early morning announcement to the Pharaoh. The second was announced prior to its impact, and the third came upon Egypt with no notice.
Plague 7: Hail: In the 9th Chapter of Exodus, the Lord commands Moses to "rise up early in the morning" and confront Pharaoh to "let my people go". The purpose was to warn the Pharaoh about the power and might of the Lord. Moses did so and warned the Pharaoh, but to no avail. Moses warned that by the next morning, there would be a very "grievous hail" on Egypt, such as had never been seen before. Exodus 9:18.
Moses warned the Pharaoh that all men should gather their cattle and livestock from the open fields, and then seek shelter themselves. Numerous of the Egyptians that by now believed in the power of the Lord as demonstrated through Moses followed the advice and gathered their livestock. However, the 21st verse tells us that there were Egyptians who disregarded Moses warning and left their servants and cattle in the open fields.
Doing as the Lord directed, Moses stretched forth his rod over the land and "throughout the land of Egypt" upon man, upon beast and upon every herb of the field there was hail:
"The Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt." Exodus 9:23. The hail brought with it "fire mingled with the hail" as had never before been seen in Egypt. The hail rained upon all men in the field, their livestock and herbs, and broke every tree in the field.
However, in the land of Goshen where the enslaved Israelites lived, there was no hail.
Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, admitted he had sinned, and begged for relief from the hail, indicating he would "let you go." Moses spread his hands to the Lord and the thunder and hail ceased, but he knew the Pharaoh was not yet respectful of the Lord. While the hail had destroyed all the flax and the barley, the wheat and rye had not yet grown out of the ground, thus was spared.
After the hail ceased, the Pharaoh again refused to release the Israelites.
Plague 8: Locusts: Beginning with the 10th chapter of Exodus, we find the lord instructing Moses about the 8th plague upon Egypt. It was to come with a simple warning. Moses and Aaron went to the Pharaoh and warned if the Pharaoh refused to let the people go, by the next day a swarm of locusts would cover all of Egypt.
Moses and Aaron warned about the severity of the locusts and that they would cover everything such that you could not see the ground, that they would eat all the residue which escaped the hail, and they would eat every tree which grows outside the field. The locusts would fill the houses of the Pharaoh and all his servants homes and the homes of all Egyptians.
The servants pleaded with Pharaoh, asking him to release the Israelites, afraid all Egypt would be destroyed. Pharaoh at first relented, calling Moses and Aaron and asking specifically who they wanted released among the Israelites. Exodus 10:8.
Moses responded that all, including men, women and children and all flocks. The Pharaoh refused to release all the Israelites, insisting he would release only Moses and his family.
The Lord instructed Moses to raise his hand over Egypt, and up rose an east wind for the rest of the day and night. By morning, the wind brought in the locusts. The locusts were very grievous, covering the land and sky so that the sky was darkened. The locusts ate everything.
Pharaoh "in haste" called for Moses and Aaron, admitting his sins and seeking forgiveness. Moses appealed to the Lord, who then brought up a west wind which took all the locusts and cast them into the Red Sea. Not one locust remained in Egypt. Exodus 10:19.
The Pharaoh again refused to release the Israelites.
Plague 9: Darkness: The ninth plague, like the third and sixth, came without warning to Pharaoh. The Lord instructed Moses to "stretch thine hand toward the heaven, that there may be darkness over the Land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt". Exodus 10:21. The Egyptian theology and practice of worship of a sun god was about to be challenged. The plague of darkness was to last three days.
Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven, and a "thick darkness" descended over Egypt for the next three days. It was so thick no one could see each other. All Egyptians stayed in their homes. But the Israelites had light in their homes.
Pharaoh quickly called Moses and said that the people could go, but the cattle and livestock must stay. Moses refused, saying the Israelites needed sacrifices to the Lord to properly serve him. "Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind." Exodus 10:26.
But the Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and again the people were not allowed to leave.
The Lord instructed Moses to be prepared to leave Egypt. He said one more plague would hit Egypt, a devastating one which would cause the Pharaoh to send out Moses in haste. In preparation for a mass exodus from Egypt, the Lord instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to go to their Egyptian friends and neighbors and borrow their "jewels of silver and jewels of gold". The Lord gave the Israelites favor in the eyes of the Egyptian people; Moses was viewed as a great leader by Pharaoh’s servants Exodus 11:3.
Next: Moses Warns of the Deadly 10th Plague