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.

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;

NASB So Moses reached out with his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

CSB So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord sent an east wind over the land all that day and through the night. By morning the east wind had brought in the locusts.

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.

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.

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.

What does Exodus 10:13 mean?

Locusts are a particular form taken on by grasshoppers. In this state, they become more aggressive, hungrier, driven to gather in swarms, and eager to breed. Relatively small groups quickly join, often forming enormous clouds of insatiable insects. Such plagues have consumed crops and created disaster for thousands of years. Here, Moses gives the signal (Exodus 10:12) to unleash the worst plague of locusts Egypt has ever seen (Exodus 10:4–6). This will take away what little was left after the recent hailstorm (Exodus 9:24–25, 31–32).

God uses a wind to bring the locusts into Egypt. This may have caused many large swarms to join into a single gigantic army. By the following morning (Exodus 10:4), Egypt is covered with so many locusts that they block out the sun. The Lord also works through His commands to Moses, such as gesturing with his staff (Exodus 8:6; 9:33). But only God's will and power create these events (Exodus 3:20; 10:1–2). Weather and prophets are just tools He uses to accomplish His will.

Moses' staff is a recurring object in the book of Exodus (Exodus 4:2, 20; 7:9, 15; 8:5, 16; 9:23; 14:16). Even after Israel leaves Egypt, this staff will feature in many key events (Exodus 17:5, 9).

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