וַיֵּ֨ט מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶת־מַטֵּהוּ֮ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַיִם֒ וַֽיהוָ֗ה נִהַ֤ג ר֥וּחַ קָדִים֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ כָּל־הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וְכָל־הַלָּ֑יְלָה הַבֹּ֣קֶר הָיָ֔ה וְר֙וּחַ֙ הַקָּדִ֔ים נָשָׂ֖א אֶת־הָאַרְבֶּֽה׃
I wyciągnął Mojżesz laskę swą na ziemię Micraim, a Wiekuisty sprowadził wiatr wschodni na ziemię tę, przez cały on dzień, i przez całą noc. Nastał poranek, a wiatr wschodni przyniósł szarańczę.
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
And thus with Egypt, viz. (Exodus 10:15) "And the L–rd swept an east wind over the land." And thus do you find with the ten tribes, that the L–rd exacted punishment of them with an east wind, viz. (Hoshea 13:15) "For he (Ephraim) flourished among the reeds. (But now) an east wind will come, a wind from the L–rd, rising from the desert, and it will dry up his source and parch his spring. It will despoil the source of all his precious vessels."
Shemot Rabbah
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, and they will ascend on the land of Egypt, and eat every grass of the land, everything that the hail left” (Exodus 10:12).
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand” – why did He bring locusts upon them? It is because they tasked Israel to be sowers of wheat and barley; therefore, he brought locusts upon them, and they ate everything that the Israelites had sown.
“Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; it was morning, and the east wind brought the locusts” (Exodus 10:13).
“Moses extended his staff” – why would the Holy One blessed be He give a time for the plagues, “tomorrow” (Exodus 10:4), and not bring them upon them immediately? It was so they would relent and repent.
Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron, and he said: I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you (Exodus 10:16).
“The locusts ascended…they covered the surface of the entire land… Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron…” (Exodus 10:14–16) – what is “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you”? “I have sinned against the Lord your God,” in that I did not let Israel go, “and against you,” in that I drove you out from before me and I thought to curse you, as I said: “So let the Lord be with you” (Exodus 10:10). “Now, please, forgive my sin [just this once, and entreat the Lord your God, and He will remove this death only from me].… He exited from Pharaoh” (Exodus 10:17–18).
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand” – why did He bring locusts upon them? It is because they tasked Israel to be sowers of wheat and barley; therefore, he brought locusts upon them, and they ate everything that the Israelites had sown.
“Moses extended his staff over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; it was morning, and the east wind brought the locusts” (Exodus 10:13).
“Moses extended his staff” – why would the Holy One blessed be He give a time for the plagues, “tomorrow” (Exodus 10:4), and not bring them upon them immediately? It was so they would relent and repent.
Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron, and he said: I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you (Exodus 10:16).
“The locusts ascended…they covered the surface of the entire land… Pharaoh hastened to call Moses and Aaron…” (Exodus 10:14–16) – what is “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you”? “I have sinned against the Lord your God,” in that I did not let Israel go, “and against you,” in that I drove you out from before me and I thought to curse you, as I said: “So let the Lord be with you” (Exodus 10:10). “Now, please, forgive my sin [just this once, and entreat the Lord your God, and He will remove this death only from me].… He exited from Pharaoh” (Exodus 10:17–18).