EXODUS 10 PHARAOH BARGAINS WITH MOSES

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May 19

EXODUS 10

7 Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?” 8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. But which ones are to go?” 9 Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.” 10 But he said to them, “The Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. 11 No! Go, the men among you, and serve the Lord, for that is what you are asking.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. 12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.” 13 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. 

                                                                   – Exodus 10:7-13

EXODUS 10 PHARAOH BARGAINS WITH MOSES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the warning for the locusts came, even Pharaoh’s household convince him

They have the sensibility to see the coming judgment as they’ve been suffering

But Pharaoh bargains with Moses that only the men should go and worship God

He didn’t want the women and children to go to with them out of Egypt.

I have not encountered any other man in the bible as hard-hearted and stubborn as this man. Of course, we know from the account that it was also God’s doing that he was that stubborn. Even his servants were beginning to convince him of the further consequences of him not releasing them.

Here, we see that part of Pharaoh wants to relent but with certain conditions. He wanted to leave the women and children as hostage in case there was something evil that was going to happen. What a fool! No matter how much signs and punishment he is receiving, he won’t give up the Israelites.

REFLECTION

  • What drives Pharaoh to bargain who would go to worship their God?