Exodus 10:6 · Bible study
Exodus 10:6 Commentary: Unprecedented Locusts and Moses’ Abrupt Departure
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exodus 10:6: The locust plague will fill every house, unprecedented in Egyptian history. Study its historical weight, Hebrew grammar, and Moses' dramatic exit.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The locust plague will be so severe that every house in Egypt will be filled, unprecedented in all of Egyptian history, and Moses leaves after delivering the warning.
- Key words: “fill” (H4390, qal vav-consecutive perfect), “houses” (repeated three times), “fathers / fathers’ fathers” (H0001, ancestors), “turned and went out” (H6437, H3318).
- Main debate: No significant interpretive debate; the verse is straightforward. Minor interest surrounds Moses’ exit, whether he turned his back (disrespect) or went out facing the king (respect). Gill leans toward the latter.
- Theological theme: Divine judgment is comprehensive, unprecedented, and final when warnings are repeatedly rejected.
- Best use: Preaching on the seriousness of hardening one’s heart, the reach of God’s judgments, and the moment when prophetic witness gives way to silence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They will fill your houses and the houses of all your officials and every Egyptian—something neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen since the day they came into this land.’” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh’s presence.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.
KJV King James Version 1769
And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and they have filled thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, which neither thy fathers nor thy father's fathers have seen, since the day of their being on the ground unto this day,' --and he turneth and goeth out from Pharaoh.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy bondmen, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned and went out from Pharaoh.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
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.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y llenarse han tus casas, y las casas de todos tus siervos, y las casas de todos los Egipcios, cual nunca vieron tus padres ni tus abuelos, desde que ellos fueron sobre la tierra hasta hoy. Y volvióse, y salió de con Faraón.
e encherão tuas casas, e as casas de todos os teus servos, e as casas de todos os egípcios, que nunca viram teus pais nem teus avós, desde que eles existiram sobre a terra até hoje. E voltou-se, e saiu da presença de Faraó.
elles rempliront tes maisons, les maisons de tous tes serviteurs et les maisons de tous les Égyptiens. Tes pères et les pères de tes pères n’ auront rien vu de pareil depuis qu’ ils existent sur la terre jusqu’ à ce jour. Moïse se retira, et sortit de chez Pharaon.
und sollen erfüllen dein Haus, aller deiner Knechte Häuser und aller Ägypter Häuser, desgleichen nicht gesehen haben deine Väter und deiner Väter Väter, seitdem sie auf Erden gewesen bis auf diesen Tag. Und er wandte sich und ging von Pharao hinaus.
En zij zullen vervullen uw huizen, en de huizen van al uw knechten, en de huizen van alle Egyptenaren; dewelke uw vaders, noch de vaderen uwer vaders gezien hebben, van dien dag af, dat zij op den aardbodem geweest zijn, tot op dezen dag. En hij keerde zich om, en ging uit van Farao.
Ed empiranno le tue case, le case di tutti i tuoi servitori e le case di tutti gli Egiziani, come né i tuoi padri né i padri de’ tuoi padri videro mai, dal giorno che furono sulla terra, al dì d’oggi”. Detto questo, voltò le spalle, e uscì dalla presenza di Faraone.
I na pełni domy twoje, i domy wszystkich sług twoich, i domy wszystkiego Egiptu, czego nie widzieli ojcowie twoi, i ojcowie ojców twoich od początku bytu swego na ziemi aż do tego dnia. A odwróciwszy się, wyszedł od Faraona.
и наполнит домы твои, домы всех рабов твоих и [все] домы всех Египтян, чего не видели отцы твои, ни отцы отцов твоих со дня, как живут на земле, даже до сего дня. [Моисей] обратился и вышел от фараона.
你的宮殿 和你眾 臣僕 的房屋，並一切 埃及人 的房屋，都要被蝗蟲佔滿了； 自從 你祖宗 和你祖宗 的祖宗 在 世以來，直到 今日，沒有 見過 這樣的災。』」摩西就轉身 離開 法老 出去。
And your houses will be full of them, and the houses of your servants and of all the Egyptians; it will be worse than anything your fathers have seen or their fathers, from the day when they were living on the earth till this day. And so he went out from Pharaoh.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 10:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Exodus 10:6 describes the eighth plague in language deliberately designed to stress its unprecedented severity. The phrase “neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen” (v. 6) echoes the hail plague in Exodus 9:24, where a similar claim was made, yet here the locusts will surpass even that. Barnes and Gill note that the filling of houses, palace, officials’ homes, common dwellings, is attested by travelers like Dr. Shaw, who wrote of locusts entering “our very houses and bed-chambers, like so many thieves.” The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges cites an account of a Persian invasion where locusts “entered the inmost recesses of the houses.”
On Moses’ turning and leaving, Gill observes a possible courtly custom: he may have gone out with his face still toward the king, a sign of respect even in departure. Most see the exit as a dramatic, final act, the warning has been fully delivered, and nothing remains to be said. The narrative’s emphasis on the locusts’ reach and the unprecedented memory sets the stage for Pharaoh’s own servants to plead with him in the next verse (Exodus 10:7), highlighting the total failure of his stubbornness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse describes the imminent locust plague as unprecedented in scale, permeating every house in Egypt, and records Moses leaving Pharaoh after delivering the warning.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Unprecedented severity | All commentators affirm the plague is described as the worst locust invasion in Egyptian memory, surpassing all previous plagues in scale (cf. Exodus 9:24, 10:14). | None; the text is unambiguous, and commentators simply note the historical hyperbole underscores God's power. |
| Moses' departure, respect or finality? | Most see the turning and going out as a natural narrative end to the warning scene, indicating Moses has finished speaking. | Gill suggests Moses may have gone backward with face toward Pharaoh as a courtly gesture of honor. Others do not specify this, viewing the exit as simply leaving the presence. |
| Filling of houses | All note that the penetration of homes echoes earlier plagues (frogs: Exodus 8:3; flies: Exodus 8:21) and is historically confirmed by travelers' accounts (Shaw, Morier). | No debate. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Exodus 10:6 falls within the eighth plague narrative (Exodus 10:1, 20), one of the climactic judgments on Egypt. Locust swarms were a familiar terror in the ancient Near East. The Egyptian word may derive from a root meaning “to be many,” and historical records from the region, including the accounts of Dr. Shaw (Barbary, 1724, 1725) and Morier (Persia), describe them covering the ground, darkening the sky, and penetrating homes. The Hebrew verb “fill” (מָלְא֨וּ, mal’u) is a qal perfect with vav consecutive, expressing a certain future event. The locusts will not stay in the fields but will invade the innermost chambers, contrasting with earlier plagues (e.g., flies and frogs) that also entered houses.
The claim “since the day they were on the earth” (מִיּוֹם הֱיוֹתָם עַל־הָאֲדָמָה) frames the plague as without parallel in Egyptian history. Egypt’s agricultural dependence made locusts a special terror: they would devour what the hail spared (v. 5), leaving total desolation. Moses and Aaron had delivered the warning (v. 3, 6). After speaking, Moses “turned and went out from Pharaoh.” The Hebrew וַיִּפֶן (vayyifen, “he turned”) and וַיֵּצֵא (vayyetse’, “he went out”) are both vav-consecutive imperfects, narrating a sequence of completed actions. Gill notes that in Eastern courts, departing with one’s face turned toward the king was a mark of respect; Moses may have observed this custom. The abrupt exit signals that the prophetic word has been fully spoken, and judgment is imminent.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and translation sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 10:6. The Hebrew text is stable across the Masoretic tradition, and the ancient versions (LXX, Vulgate, Syriac) render the verse with the same sense: locusts filling houses and a departure of Moses.
Reception History
Exodus 10:6 has been read consistently across Jewish and Christian traditions as a sobering example of divine judgment escalating in response to human hardness. Early church fathers (e.g., Augustine, Origen) allegorized the locusts as demonic forces or sins that infest the soul when God is rejected. Medieval commentators, including Rashi, focused on the literal historical claim, the worst locusts ever seen, as proof of God’s power over nature. In the Reformation, the verse was used to illustrate the doctrine of God’s sovereignty in judgment and the necessity of repentance before all is lost. Modern preaching often highlights the communal dimension: the plague affects everyone from Pharaoh to the poorest Egyptian, showing that sin’s consequences are not contained by rank.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Judgment reaches every hiding place. The locusts fill not just fields but houses, Pharaoh’s palace, his officials’ homes, every Egyptian dwelling. No corner is safe from the consequences of a hardened heart.
- Unprecedented severity tests every memory. The warning claims nothing like this has ever been seen, “since the day they were on the earth.” This is a new level of divine intervention, forcing Egypt to reckon with a God who acts beyond all precedents.
- Moses’ exit signals finality. He turns and leaves without negotiation. The warning has been given; the decision now lies with Pharaoh. Sometimes silence and departure speak louder than further words.
Five-point outline
- The scope of the plague: Houses of king, servants, all Egyptians, total societal invasion.
- The historical claim: “Neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen”, divine judgment breaks all records.
- The poetic precedent: The language recalls the hail (Exodus 9:24) and will be echoed in the darkness (Exodus 10:14) and the death of the firstborn (Exodus 11:6).
- The prophetic witness: Moses delivers the word and then departs; his job is to speak, not to force belief.
- The congregation’s immediate challenge: Pharaoh’s own servants will ask, “How long will this man be a snare to us?” (Exodus 10:7). The plague is so severe it turns courtiers against their king.
Illustration hooks
- Your home under siege: Imagine waking to find every room carpeted with insects, cupboards, beds, food supplies. That level of invasion shatters the illusion of any safe space apart from God.
- A record-breaking storm: Locusts “as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen” is like a hurricane that breaks every historical wind-speed record. When God acts, he is not limited by past categories.
- The final word: A doctor delivering a terminal diagnosis may say the hard truth and then leave the room. Moses’ turning and going out carries that weight, the warning is complete; the response is up to Pharaoh.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Why does God send plagues that seem so destructive? Is he just angry?”
- “If God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 10:1), how is Pharaoh responsible for his stubbornness?”
- “What should we do when someone we care about refuses to listen to repeated warnings?”
Leading a Discussion
In Exodus 10:6, the locust plague is described in terms that leave no room for doubt: every house will be filled, and nothing like it has ever been seen. Moses delivers the message and immediately leaves. This passage invites us to consider the weight of a final warning, the reach of divine judgment, and the responsibility of the hearer.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What specific places does the verse say the locusts will fill? Why do you think the text lists houses of Pharaoh, his servants, and all Egyptians?
- Interpretation: The phrase “neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen” appears in other plague accounts (Exodus 9:24; 10:14). What does this repeated claim tell us about the purpose of the plagues?
- Interpretation: Moses turns and goes out after speaking the warning (v. 6). How does this action contrast with earlier interactions where he pleads or argues with Pharaoh?
- Application: When have you faced a situation where further argument seemed pointless? How do you discern when to speak and when to exit?
- Theological reflection: The locusts destroy what the hail spared (v. 5). What does this progressive loss teach about the consequences of persistent refusal?
- Connection: In the next verse, Pharaoh’s own servants rebuke him (Exodus 10:7). How does the severity of the plague affect those around a hardened leader?
- Prayer: After reflecting on this verse, what would you want to say to God about his patience and his judgment? Take a moment to share or journal.
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 8:3 | The river will swarm with frogs, which will go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs. |
| Exodus 8:21 | Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on. |
| Exodus 9:24 | So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. |
| Exodus 10:11 | Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!” Then they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. |
| Exodus 10:14 | The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, nor will there ever be again. |
| Exodus 10:15 | For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt. |
| Exodus 11:6 | There will be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been, nor will be any more. |
| Exodus 11:8 | All these servants of yours will come down to me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, “Get out, with all the people who follow you;” and after that I will go out.’” He went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws on a firsthand travel account to emphasise the startling personal invasion of the plague of frogs. They entered not only houses but even bedchambers, like thieves, making the public calamity a private terror in the most intimate spaces of daily life.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws attention to the sudden and total invasion of locusts described in the verse, noting that they fill not only open spaces like terraces and courts but also the innermost rooms of a house in an instant.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the pronoun "he" in the narrative points specifically to Moses, even though Aaron was also present with Pharaoh. To illustrate the devastation, a travel account from Persia describes locusts invading every corner of houses and contaminating all food.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And they shall fil thine houses, and all thy seruants houses, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers fathers haue seene, since the time they were vpon the earth vnto this day. So he returned, and went out from Pharaoh.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses the unprecedented scale of the locust plague: it would cover not just the land but every house in Egypt, from the king's palace to the common dwellings, something never before seen in the nation's history. He also notes that Moses withdrew from Pharaoh with his face still toward the king, following Eastern court etiquette to show respect.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlight the phrase "cover the eye of the earth" as a distinctive Pentateuchal expression rooted in an ancient poetic idea: the earth with its plant-cover looks up to man. They argue that replacing "eye" with "surface" destroys this figure's real meaning, and that the swarms' horror lay in literally hiding the ground.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange distinguishes Pharaoh’s self-hardening from God’s subsequent judicial hardening. After the seventh plague, Pharaoh’s sentence was settled, and the later plagues completed his obduracy. Moses needed to know this in advance so the apparent failures would not discourage him, revealing Moses’ deep insight into God’s justice.