12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt and eat every plant of the land, even all that the hail has left.” 13 So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very numerous. There had never been so many locusts, nor would there be so many again. 15 For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. 17 “Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and make supplication to the LORD your God, that He would only remove this death from me.” 18 He went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. 19 So the LORD shifted the wind to a very strong west wind which took up the locusts and drove them into the 2Red Sea; not one locust was left in all the territory of Egypt. 20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.
Pharaoh was in a hurry this time. Probably for the first time, he was actually scared for his life. He pleaded with Moses and Aaron, and didn’t even bother mentioning their request to leave Egypt. It was apparently assumed. Yet, the impulsive actions were not from a changed heart. A brush with death would not be enough to change Pharaoh. He needed something that moved his entire being to admit that God was bigger, and more powerful. Some people take a lot of convincing, which almost reminds me of Thomas in the Bible. Jesus didn’t chastise Thomas, but He said that those who believed without seeing would be even more blessed. Be one of those, and see what God can do.