Exodus 10:12 (KJV)

What does Exodus 10:12 mean?

Exodus 10:12 describes God commanding Moses to stretch out his hand over Egypt so that a swarm of locusts will come and eat all the remaining plants that survived the earlier hailstorm. This verse shows God directing Moses to bring about the next plague as a judgment on Egypt.

In this scene, the LORD speaks directly to Moses, instructing him to take a specific action—stretching out his hand—as a sign that will trigger the arrival of locusts. The context is the series of plagues sent to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. The verse highlights that the locusts will finish off any vegetation that the previous plague of hail did not destroy, showing the increasing severity of the judgments.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 10:12

• The word for "locusts" is אַרְבֶּה (’arbeh), which refers specifically to the kind of insect known for swarming and devastating crops. This detail emphasizes the total destruction about to happen to Egypt’s food supply.
• The verb "eat" is אָכַל (’akal), which means to consume or devour. The use of this word underlines the thoroughness with which the locusts will strip the land of anything green.
• The word for "left" is שָׁאַר (sha’ar), meaning what remains or is left over. This shows that the locusts are coming to finish what the hail started, leaving nothing behind.

Why Exodus 10:12 matters

• Exodus 10:12 clarifies that the plagues were not random disasters but were carried out by God’s direct command, with Moses acting as God’s chosen agent.
• The verse emphasizes the escalating nature of the plagues: each new disaster builds on the last, showing increasing pressure on Pharaoh and Egypt.
• By specifying that the locusts will eat what the hail left, Exodus 10:12 highlights the completeness of God’s judgment and the hopelessness of resisting His will.