Exodus 10:3

10:1-11 The plagues of Egypt show the sinfulness of sin. They warn the children of men not to strive with their Maker. Pharaoh had pretended to humble himself; but no account was made of it, for he was not sincere therein. The plague of locusts is threatened. This should be much worse than any of that kind which had ever been known. Pharaoh's attendants persuade him to come to terms with Moses. Hereupon Pharaoh will allow the men to go, falsely pretending that this was all they desired. He swears that they shall not remove their little ones. Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children to serve him. He is a sworn enemy to early piety. Whatever would put us from engaging our children in God's service, we have reason to suspect Satan in it. Nor should the young forget that the Lord's counsel is, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth; but Satan's counsel is, to keep children in a state of slavery to sin and to the world. Mark that the great foe of man wishes to retain him by the ties of affection, as Pharaoh would have taken hostages from the Israelites for their return, by holding their wives and children in captivity. Satan is willing to share our duty and our service with the Saviour, because the Saviour will not accept those terms.

And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh,.... As the Lord commanded them, for what is before said to Moses was designed for Aaron also, his prophet and spokesman: and said unto him, thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews; as the ambassadors of the God of Israel, and in his name said: how long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? to acknowledge his offence, lie low before God, and be subject to his will; he had humbled himself for a moment, but then this did not continue; what God expected of him, and complains of the want of, was such a continued humiliation before him, and such a subjection to him, as would issue in complying with what he had so often demanded of him, and is as follows: let my people go, that they may serve me; see Exodus 9:1.

Exodus 10:3 . How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself? — By this it appears that God’s design was not to harden Pharaoh, but to humble him by these extraordinary judgments. It is justly expected from the greatest of men that they should humble themselves before the great God, and it is at their peril if they refuse to do it. Those that will not humble themselves, God will humble.

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 {b} to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. (b) The purpose of affliction is that we humble ourselves with true repentance under the hand of God.

Verse 3. - How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself! The confession recorded in Exodus 9:27 had been a distinct act of self-humiliation; but it had been cancelled by subsequent self-assertion ( ib. 34, 35). And, moreover, humility of speech was not what God had been for months requiring of Pharaoh, but submission in act. He would not really "humble himself" until he gave the oft- demanded permission to the Israelites, that they might depart from Egypt. Exodus 10:3

2. And that thou mayest tell … of thy son, and of thy son's son, &c.—There was a further and higher reason for the infliction of those awful judgments, namely, that the knowledge of them there, and the permanent record of them still, might furnish a salutary and impressive lesson to the Church down to the latest ages. Worldly historians might have described them as extraordinary occurrences that marked this era of Moses in ancient Egypt. But we are taught to trace them to their cause: the judgments of divine wrath on a grossly idolatrous king and nation.

[Bible] 9:30. But I know that neither thou, nor thy servants do yet fear the Lord God. 9:31. The flax therefore, and the barley were hurt, because the barley was green, and the flax was now bolled; 9:32. But the wheat, and other winter corn were not hurt, because they were lateward. 9:33. And when Moses was gone from Pharao out of the city, he stretched forth his hands to the Lord: and the thunders and the hail ceased, neither did there drop any more rain upon the earth. 9:34. And Pharao seeing that the rain, and the hail, and the thunders were ceased, increased his sin: 9:35. And his heart was hardened, and the heart of his servants, and it was made exceeding hard: neither did he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses. Exodus Chapter 10 The eighth plague of the locusts. The ninth, of darkness: Pharao is still hardened. 10:1. And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants: that I may work these my signs in him, 10:2. And thou mayst tell in the ears of thy sons, and of thy grandsons, how often I have plagued the Egyptians, and wrought my signs amongst them: and you may know that I am the Lord. 10:3. Therefore Moses and Aaron went in to Pharao, and said to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: How long refusest thou to submit to me? let my people go, to sacrifice to me. 10:4. But if thou resist, and wilt not let them go, behold I will bring in to-morrow the locusts into thy coasts; 10:5. To cover the face of the earth, that nothing thereof may appear, but that which the hail hath left may be eaten: for they shall feed upon all the trees that spring in the fields. 10:6. And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of thy servants, and of all the Egyptians: such a number as thy fathers have not seen, nor thy grandfathers, from the time they were first upon the earth, until this present day. And he turned himself away, and went forth from Pharao.

[Reformed Biblical] plague, to wit, darkness over all Egypt, Exo_10:22,23. Pharaoh would let Israel go, but without cattle, Exo_10:24. Moses will not leave a hoof behind, Exo_10: 25,26. Pharaoh hardened, Exo_10:27; and charges Moses, upon pain of death, never to appear in his sight any more, Exo_10:28; which also came to pass, Exo_10:29. Exodus 10:2 Exodus 10:3 Exodus 10:4 Exodus 10:5 The residue; the wheat and the rye, the staff of their lives. Every tree; the fruits and leaves of every tree. Exodus 10:6 Such for number, or shape, or mischievous effects, as were never seen before. Exodus 10:7 How long shall this man be a snare; an occasion of sin and destruction? See Exo_23:33 Jos_23:13. Exodus 10:8 Exodus 10:9 A f east upon a sacrifice, wherein all are concerned, and therefore all must be present and ready to do what God require s us. Exodus