Exodus 10:21
New International Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.”

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward heaven, and the land of Egypt will be covered with a darkness so thick you can feel it.”

English Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness may spread over the land of Egypt—a palpable darkness.”

King James Bible
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

New King James Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.”

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out with your hand toward the sky, so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.”

NASB 1995
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.”

NASB 1977
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.”

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, so that darkness may come over the land of Egypt, a darkness which [is so awful that it] may be felt.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.”

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And LORD JEHOVAH said to Moshe: “Lift your hand to Heaven and there will be darkness over all the land of Egypt, and it will darken darkness.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand to heaven, and let there be darkness over the land of Egypt - darkness that may be felt.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD said to Moses, "Stretch your arm toward the sky, and everything will be covered with darkness thick enough to touch."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to Moses: Stretch out they hand towards heaven: and may there be darkness upon the land of Egypt, so thick that it may be felt.

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift your hand toward the sky, and a darkness [so thick] that it can be felt will come over Egypt."

Good News Translation
The LORD then said to Moses, "Raise your hand toward the sky, and a darkness thick enough to be felt will cover the land of Egypt."

International Standard Version
Then the LORD told Moses, "Stretch your hand toward the sky and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that one can feel."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.'

Literal Standard Version
And YHWH says to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the heavens, and there is darkness over the land of Egypt, and the darkness is felt.”

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness may spread over the land of Egypt—a palpable darkness.”

New American Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses: Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that over the land of Egypt there may be such darkness that one can feel it.

NET Bible
The LORD said to Moses, "Extend your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness so thick it can be felt."

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.”

New Heart English Bible
The LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand towards heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

World English Bible
Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Stretch out thy hand towards the heavens, and there is darkness over the land of Egypt, and the darkness is felt.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Ninth Plague: Darkness
21Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness may spread over the land of Egypt— a palpable darkness.” 22So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days.…

Cross References
Revelation 8:12
Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun and moon and stars were struck. A third of the stars were darkened, a third of the day was without light, and a third of the night as well.

Revelation 16:10
And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and men began to gnaw their tongues in anguish

Exodus 7:19
And the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt--over their rivers and canals and ponds and reservoirs--that they may become blood.' There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the vessels of wood and stone."

Exodus 9:22
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt--on man and beast and every plant of the field throughout the land of Egypt."

Deuteronomy 28:29
and at noon you will grope about like a blind man in the darkness. You will not prosper in your ways. Day after day you will be oppressed and plundered, with no one to save you.

Psalm 105:28
He sent darkness, and it became dark--yet they defied His words.

Ezekiel 32:7
When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

stretch

Exodus 9:22
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

darkness.

Psalm 35:6
Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

Psalm 78:49
He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

Psalm 105:28
He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.

Revelation 16:10,11
And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, …

even darkness which may be felt.

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Dark Darkness Egypt Feeling Felt Hand Heaven Heavens Moses Sky Spread Stretch Stretched Towards Way
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Dark Darkness Egypt Feeling Felt Hand Heaven Heavens Moses Sky Spread Stretch Stretched Towards Way
Exodus 10
1. God threatens to send locusts
7. Pharaoh, moved by his servants, inclines to let the Israelites go
12. The plague of the locusts
16. Pharaoh entreats Moses
21. The plague of darkness
24. Pharaoh again entreats Moses, but yet is hardened














THE NINTH PLAGUE.

(21-23) The ninth plague, like the third and sixth, was sent without any previous warning. It consisted in a "thick darkness," which may have been brought about by means of the Khamsin, or "Wind of the Desert," which frequently blows about the time of the vernal equinox, and brings with it such clouds of a fine impalpable sand that the light of the sun is obscured, and an effect produced which some travellers have compared to "the most gloomy night." Or it may have been a shutting out of the sun's rays by dense fog and cloud of a more ordinary character; though in that case there must have been something in the visitation very much exceeding any known instance of such darkness. "They saw not one another," we are told, "for three days" (Exodus 10:23). The darkness was one which "might be felt" (Exodus 10:21). Such a preternatural continuance of absolutely impenetrable "blackness of darkness" would cause to any man a feeling of intense alarm and horror. To the Egyptians it would be peculiarly painful and terrible. Ra, the sun-god, was among the principal objects of their worship, especially in the Delta, where Heliopolis and Pithoni were cities dedicated to him. Darkness was a creation of Set--the Evil Principle, the destroyer of Osiris--and of Apophis, the Great Serpent, the impeder of souls in the lower world. It would have seemed to the Egyptians that Ra was dead, that Set had triumphed over his brother, that Apophis had encircled the world with his dark folds, and plunged it in eternal night. Hence Pharaoh's early call for Moses, and permission that the people should depart, with their families (Exodus 10:24): a concession which, however, was marred by the proviso, "Only let your flocks and herds be stayed."

(21) Darkness which may be felt.--Heb., one shall grasp darkness. The Authorised Version seems to give the true meaning, which is found also in the LXX. and the Vulg. The idea is an exaggeration of that instinctive feeling which makes us speak of "thick darkness." The general voice of mankind confirms the use of the phrase.

Verses 21-29 - THE NINTH PLAGUE. The ninth plague, like the third and the sixth, was inflicted without special warning. God had announced, after the plague of boils, that he was about to "send all his plagues upon the heart" of the king; and so a succession of inflictions was to be expected. The ninth plague probably followed the eighth after a very short interval. It is rightly regarded as an aggravation of a well-known natural phenomenon - the Khamsin, or "Wind of the Desert" which commonly visits Egypt about the time of the vernal equinox, and is accompanied by an awful and weird darkness. This is caused by the dense clouds of fine sand which the wind brings with it, which intercept the sun's light, and produce a darkness beyond that of our worst fogs, and compared by some travellers to "the most gloomy night." The wind is depressing and annoying to an extreme degree. "While it lasts no man rises from his place; men and beasts hide themselves; the inhabitants of towns and villages shut themselves up in their houses, in underground apartments, or vaults." It usually blows for a space of two, or at most three, days, and sometimes with great violence, though more often with only moderate force. The visitation here recorded was peculiar,

1. In its extent, covering as it did "all the land d Egypt;"

2. In its intensity - "they saw not one another" (ver. 23) - "darkness which may be felt" (ver. 21);

3. In its circumscription, extending, as it did, to all Egypt except only the land of Goshen (ver. 23). These circumstances made Pharaoh at once recognise its heaven-sent character, and request its removal of Moses, whom he sought to persuade by conceding the departure of the Israelites with their families. He marred, however, the whole grace of this concession by a proviso that they should leave behind them their flocks and herds, viewing these as, equally with their families, a security for their return. Moses therefore indignantly rejected his offer - the flocks and the herds should go with them - he would not have a hoof left behind - they did not know what sacrifices would be required at the feast which they were about to keep, or how many (ver. 25, 26) - therefore they must take all. Pharaoh, greatly angered, forthwith broke up the conference (ver. 28), but not, as it would seem, before Moses, equally displeased, had announced the tenth plague, and the results which would follow it (Exodus 11:4-8). Verse 21. - Darkness which may be felt. Literally, "and one shall feel, or grasp, darkness." The hyperbole is no doubt extreme; but the general sentiment of mankind has approved the phrase, which exactly expresses what men feel in absolute and complete darkness. Kalisch renders, "a darkness in which men grope." But the grammatical construction does not allow of this.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֗ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

“Stretch out
נְטֵ֤ה (nə·ṭêh)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

your hand
יָֽדְךָ֙ (yā·ḏə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

toward
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

heaven,
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

so that darkness
חֹ֖שֶׁךְ (ḥō·šeḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2822: The dark, darkness, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness

will spread
וִ֥יהִי (wî·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the land
אֶ֣רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Egypt—
מִצְרָ֑יִם (miṣ·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

a palpable
וְיָמֵ֖שׁ (wə·yā·mêš)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4959: To feel of, to grope

darkness.”
חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (ḥō·šeḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2822: The dark, darkness, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness


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OT Law: Exodus 10:21 Yahweh said to Moses Stretch out your (Exo. Ex)
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