Exodus 10:22
New International Version
So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.

New Living Translation
So Moses lifted his hand to the sky, and a deep darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days.

English Standard Version
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

Berean Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days.

King James Bible
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

New King James Version
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

New American Standard Bible
So Moses reached out with his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.

NASB 1995
So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.

NASB 1977
So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.

Amplified Bible
So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and for three days a thick darkness was all over the land of Egypt [no sun, no moon, no stars].

Christian Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days.

American Standard Version
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;

Contemporary English Version
Moses stretched his arm toward the sky, and Egypt was covered with darkness for three days.

English Revised Version
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Moses lifted his hand toward the sky, and throughout Egypt there was total darkness for three days.

Good News Translation
Moses raised his hand toward the sky, and there was total darkness throughout Egypt for three days.

International Standard Version
So Moses stretched his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.

Majority Standard Bible
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days.

NET Bible
So Moses extended his hand toward heaven, and there was absolute darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days.

New Heart English Bible
Moses stretched forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses stretched forth his hand towards heaven: and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

World English Bible
Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Moses stretches out his hand toward the heavens, and there is darkness—thick darkness in all the land of Egypt [for] three days;

Young's Literal Translation
And Moses stretcheth out his hand towards the heavens, and there is darkness -- thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Moses will stretch forth his hand toward the heavens, and there shall be thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Moses stretch forth his hand towards heaven: and there came horrible darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Moses extended his hand into the sky. And there came a horrible darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days.

New American Bible
So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was dense darkness throughout the land of Egypt for three days.

New Revised Standard Version
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Moses lifted up his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Moshe lifted his hand to Heaven and there was darkness and thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Moses stretched out his hand to heaven, and there was darkness very black, even a storm over all the land of Egypt three days.

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. 23No one could see anyone else, and for three days no one left his place. Yet all the Israelites had light in their dwellings.…

Cross References
Exodus 14:20
so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other.

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

Joel 2:2
a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.

Amos 5:18
Woe to you who long for the Day of the LORD! What will the Day of the LORD be for you? It will be darkness and not light.

Isaiah 60:2
For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you.

Matthew 27:45
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.

Mark 15:33
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.

Luke 23:44-45
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour. / The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.

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

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.

Joshua 24:7
So your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, over whom He brought the sea and engulfed them. Your very eyes saw what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.

Isaiah 13:10
For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.

Jeremiah 13:16
Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.

Ezekiel 32:7-8
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. / All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you, and I will bring darkness upon your land,’ declares the Lord GOD.

Zephaniah 1:15
That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,


Treasury of Scripture

And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

thick darkness

Exodus 20:21
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

Deuteronomy 4:11
And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.

Deuteronomy 5:22
These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

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Covered Dark Darkness Egypt Forth Hand Heaven Heavens Moses Night Sky Stretched Stretcheth Thick Three Throughout Total Towards
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Covered Dark Darkness Egypt Forth Hand Heaven Heavens Moses Night Sky Stretched Stretcheth Thick Three Throughout Total Towards
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














So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky
In this phrase, we see Moses acting in obedience to God's command. The act of stretching out his hand is symbolic of invoking divine power. The Hebrew word for "stretched out" is "natah," which often implies an extension of authority or influence. This gesture signifies Moses' role as God's chosen instrument to execute His will. Historically, this act of stretching out one's hand was a common gesture in ancient Near Eastern cultures to signify the calling upon a higher power or deity.

and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days
The phrase "total darkness" is translated from the Hebrew "choshekh," which denotes a profound, tangible darkness. This was not merely the absence of light but a supernatural darkness that could be felt, emphasizing the severity of God's judgment. The "land of Egypt" here refers to the entire nation, highlighting the widespread impact of this plague. The "three days" duration is significant in biblical numerology, often symbolizing completeness or divine intervention. This darkness was a direct affront to the Egyptian sun god, Ra, demonstrating Yahweh's supremacy over all Egyptian deities.

Three days
The repetition of "three days" underscores the completeness and divine orchestration of this event. In biblical terms, the number three often signifies completeness or perfection, as seen in the resurrection of Christ on the third day. This period of darkness served as a complete disruption of daily life in Egypt, forcing the Egyptians to recognize the power of the God of Israel.

Verse 22. - A thick darkness. - Literally, "An obscurity of darkness." The phrase is intensitive.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

stretched out
וַיֵּ֥ט (way·yêṭ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

his hand
יָד֖וֹ (yā·ḏōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

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

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

and total
אֲפֵלָ֛ה (’ă·p̄ê·lāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 653: Duskiness, misfortune, concealment

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

covered
וַיְהִ֧י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

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

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

for three
שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת (šə·lō·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

days.
יָמִֽים׃ (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day


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OT Law: Exodus 10:22 Moses stretched forth his hand toward (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 10:21
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