The Plague of Locusts

In this week’s episode we continue our Ten Plagues series with the plague of locusts. We observe the pivotal shift in Pharaoh’s courtiers, who finally use their proximity to power to lobby for a change in policy rather than clinging to the status quo. We analyze the unique threat of this plague—the total and permanent destruction of agriculture—and the terrifying imagery of locusts covering the ground, severing the connection between the people and the earth. This parallels the modern climate reality where the greatest driver of mass migration is not temporary disaster, but the permanent loss of arable land and sea level rise. We conclude by noting the inability to "shut the door" on a food supply crisis, while finding a glimmer of optimism in the courtiers' new-found courage to push back against Pharaoh and the resilience of nature between plagues. Follow along with the source sheet here: www.sefaria.org/sheets/692164