Matthew Henry Commentary Exodus 10:12-20

"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy 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. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Jehovah brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt; very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. 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, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against Jehovah your God, and against you. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat Jehovah your God, that he may take away from me this death only. And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated Jehovah. And Jehovah turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust in all the border of Egypt. But Jehovah hardened Pharaoh`s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go." — Exodus 10:12-20 (ASV)

God commands Moses to stretch out his hand; locusts came at the call. An army might more easily have been resisted than this host of insects. Who then is able to stand before the great God? They covered the face of the earth and ate up its fruit. Herbs grow for the service of humanity; yet when God pleases, insects will plunder them and eat the bread out of their mouths.

Let our labor be, not for the food and shelter that are so exposed, but for that which endures to eternal life. Pharaoh asks Moses and Aaron to pray for him. There are those who, in distress, seek the help of other people's prayers but have no desire to pray for themselves. They show by this that they have no true love for God, nor any delight in communion with Him.

Pharaoh desires only that this death be taken away, not this sin. He wishes to get rid of the plague of locusts, not the plague of a hard heart, which was more dangerous. An east wind brought the locusts; a west wind carried them off. From whatever direction the wind blows, it is fulfilling God's word and turns by His counsel.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, from our perspective; but not so in relation to God. It was also an argument for their repentance, for this showed that God is ready to forgive and swift to show mercy. If He does this upon the outward signs of humiliation, what will He do if we are sincere! Oh, that this goodness of God might lead us to repentance!

Pharaoh returned again to his resolution not to let the people go. Those who have often resisted their convictions are justly given up to the lusts of their hearts.