101 Then the Lord said to Moses , "Go to Pharaoh , for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants , that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son , and of your grandson , how e I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord ." 3 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the Lord , the God of the Hebrews , 'How long e will you refuse to humble yourself before e Me? Let My people go , that they may serve Me. 4 'For if you refuse to let My people go , behold , tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory . 5 'They shall cover the surface of the land , so that no one will be able to see the land . They will also eat the rest of what has escaped -what is left to you from the hail -and they will eat every tree which sprouts for you out of the field . 6 'Then your houses shall be filled and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians , something which neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen , from the day that they came upon the earth until this day .' " And he turned and went out from Pharaoh . 7 Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long e will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go , that they may serve the Lord their God . Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed ?" 8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh , and he said to them, " Go , serve the Lord your God ! Who are the ones that are going ?" 9 Moses said , " We shall go with our young and our old ; with our sons and our daughters , with our flocks and our herds we shall go , for we must hold a feast to the Lord ." 10 Then he said to them, "Thus may the Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go ! Take heed , for evil is in your mind . 11 "Not so ! Go now , the men among you, and serve the Lord , for that is what you desire ." So they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 10:1-11
Commentary on Exodus 10:1-11
(Read Exodus 10:1-11)
The plagues of Egypt show the sinfulness of sin. They warn the children of men not to strive with their Maker. Pharaoh had pretended to humble himself; but no account was made of it, for he was not sincere therein. The plague of locusts is threatened. This should be much worse than any of that kind which had ever been known. Pharaoh's attendants persuade him to come to terms with Moses. Hereupon Pharaoh will allow the men to go, falsely pretending that this was all they desired. He swears that they shall not remove their little ones. Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children to serve him. He is a sworn enemy to early piety. Whatever would put us from engaging our children in God's service, we have reason to suspect Satan in it. Nor should the young forget that the Lord's counsel is, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth; but Satan's counsel is, to keep children in a state of slavery to sin and to the world. Mark that the great foe of man wishes to retain him by the ties of affection, as Pharaoh would have taken hostages from the Israelites for their return, by holding their wives and children in captivity. Satan is willing to share our duty and our service with the Saviour, because the Saviour will not accept those terms.