THE NINTH PLAGUE.
THE east wind drove the locusts over Egypt, and the west wind carried them away, and, if you glance at a map, you will observe that the west wind blows over the sandy deserts which border the country. It was “a mighty strong west wind” which Jehovah sent that swept the huge army of insects into the Red Sea, and Pharaoh’s hard heart seems to have still rebelled against Jehovah while this west wind yet blew.
Was it that idol-worshipping king looked up to the heavens and beheld the Sun, Egypt’s great god, shining as usual? Was it that he said within his soul that the chief deity of his fathers still remained untouched by Israel’s God? Be this as it may, it appears evident from the sacred history that the plague of darkness followed shortly after that of the locusts. Without a word more to Pharaoh, the Lord bade Moses stretch forth his hand toward heaven, that there might be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness that may be felt. There can be hardly any question that God used the mighty strong west wind to bear upon its fierce blasts the sand of the desert, and for three days and three nights to pour upon the stricken land heaps upon heaps of blinding sand. This would render the land dark with a terrible darkness which could be felt. Even now when the Hamseen, as the west wind is called, blows fiercely it sweeps up so much desert sand and dust that day is turned into night, and that part of Egypt where the sandstorm falls is rendered darker than London in a smoke fog. This fifty days’ wind, and its sandstorms of a few hours’ duration, occur yearly now, and serve to spew us the character of the darkness which Jehovah sent, Our engraving portrays a sandstorm in the desert, with the huge columns or pillars of sand whirling across the plains and threatening to bury the travelers who hasten for their lives from the hot and terrible tempest.
The suffering and loss of life endured during such a darkness and extending over so long a time must have been fearful in the extreme. None stirred from his house. To do so would be to be choked with suffocating sand. None could see, for the wild wind blew the blinding torment through every crack and crevice, and made the houses dark. There they sat in misery and blackness for three long days and nights, hearing the awful rushing of the storm continually. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings, This plague was, perhaps, more severe and deadly than any of its predecessors; and when we regard it as the last of a series sent upon the land, we have a scene before us of the most intense desolation. What the hail had left the locusts had eaten, and over the barren soil which the locusts had left the heavy sand of the desert was poured for three weary days and nights.
During these days and nights, when the whole of the Egyptians were held fast in their houses we may be sure that the hosts of Israel were completing their muster preparatory to their departure from Pharaoh forever. For the last time Pharaoh called to Moses, and bade him go, children and all, except the flocks and herds. But Moses’s answer was, “There shall not an hoof be left behind.” Pharaoh angrily replied, that Moses ever saw him again, he should die. Whereupon Moses calmly said, “Thou hast spoken well I will see thy face again no more.”
Then Moses recounted to Pharaoh what the Lord had already told him, that one plague more should fall upon Egypt, that all the firstborn should die, and that a great cry should rise up in Egypt, such as had never been before. Terrible words. For what bitter wails had already been heard throughout the land Pharaoh and his servants should know, the Lord said, that He put a difference between the idolatrous people and those who served Him, More: that the servants of Pharaoh should bow before Moses, praying him begone, “Get thee out,” and that when this was accomplished he would go.
Thereupon Pharaoh fell into a great anger, and Moses left him, never again to see his face, but shortly to hear his words, “Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said, Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”
(Chapter 12:31, 32.)
H. F. W.