וַיַּעַל הָאַרְבֶּה עַל כָּל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וַיָּנַח בְּכֹל גְּבוּל מִצְרָיִם כָּבֵד מְאֹד-לְפָנָיו לֹא-הָיָה כֵן אַרְבֶּה כָּמֹהוּ וְאַחֲרָיו לֹא יִהְיֶה-כֵּן
Vaya'al ha'arbeh al kol-eretz Mitzrayim vayanach bechol gvul Mitzrayim kaved me'od lefanav lo-hayah chen arbeh kamohu ve'acharav lo yihyeh-ken.
10:14 The locusts went up on the land of Egypt, and rested on all the Egyptian territory. It was very severe. Never before had there been such a locust plague, and never again.
There are seven types of locusts mentioned in Scripture:
- Arbeh (Arbeh is the only term found in this section. It is also counted as an edible, kosher insect in Vayikra 11;22.)
- Salam
- Chargol (Vayikra 11:22)
- Chagav (Vaykra 11:22)
- Gazam (Yo'el 1:4, 2:25; Amos 4:9)
- Yelek (Yo'el 1:4, 2:25; Yirmeyahu 51:14, 51:27; Nachum 3:15, 16; Tehillim 105;34)
- Chasil (Yo'el 1:4, 2:25; Melachim Alef 8:37, Devrei Hayamim Bet 6:28; Yeshayahu 33:4; Tehillim 78:46)
All these destructive species of locusts attacked Egypt at once. For this reason, the word "locusts" (arbeh) is mentioned seven times in this section. The Torah refers to the plague in general as arbeh, since this species was by far the numerous. (Bachya)
The Torah says that "never again" would there be such a plague referring to specifically to arbeh. Never again would there be so many arbeh all at once. there might be plagues of other types of locusts, and altogether they might outnumber the arbeh of Egypt. No single species, however, would ever outnumber these arbeh.
- Me'am Lo'ez, Bachya
