Locusts

The episodes of the ten signs and/or the prodigies in the Exodus narrative (Exod 7:14–11:10) put forward a set of literary images confronting the reader with environmental disasters. This investigation focuses on the account of the locust proliferation (Exod 10:1–20). Three items will receive specific attention: (a) How does the biblical text describe what happens in nature? (b) Are there human causes of this disaster? For example, do political decisions have an impact on the environment? (c) What does the account of the locust sign reveal about God? With this discussion, I hope to show that biblical literature can enrich the construction of biblical ecotheology and current efforts to safeguard the environment.