The Plague of Gnats and Flies. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground, and it will become [biting] gnats (lice) throughout the land of Egypt.'” Exo 8:16
Then the LORD did so. And there came heavy and oppressive swarms of [bloodsucking] insects into the house of Pharaoh and his servants’ houses; in all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted and ruined because of the [great invasion of] insects. Exo 8:24
INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
The Nation Israel Delivered and Organized
ISRAEL IN EGYPT, Exodus 1:8-12:36
17. Describe the two plagues of insects. Why was Goshen spared?
THE THIRD PLAGUE: GNATS
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground, and it will become [biting] gnats (lice) throughout the land of Egypt.'”
They did so; Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were [biting] gnats on man and animal. All the dust of the land became gnats through all the land of Egypt.
The magicians (soothsayer-priests) tried by their secret arts and enchantments to create gnats, but they could not; and there were gnats on man and animal.
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the [supernatural] finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
THE FOURTH PLAGUE: FLIES
Now the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he is coming out to the water [of the Nile], and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.
For if you do not let My people go, hear this: I will send swarms of [bloodsucking] insects on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of insects, as well as the ground on which they stand.
But on that day I will separate and set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of insects will be there, so that you may know [without any doubt] and acknowledge that I, the LORD, am in the midst of the earth.
I will put a division (distinction) between My people and your people. By tomorrow this sign shall be in evidence.”‘”
Then the LORD did so. And there came heavy and oppressive swarms of [bloodsucking] insects into the house of Pharaoh and his servants’ houses; in all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted and ruined because of the [great invasion of] insects.
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God [here] in the land [of Egypt].”
But Moses said, “It is not right [or even possible] to do that, for we will sacrifice to the LORD our God what is repulsive and unacceptable to the Egyptians [that is, animals that the Egyptians consider sacred]. If we sacrifice what is repulsive and unacceptable to the Egyptians, will they not riot and stone us?
We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He commands us.”
So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, so that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Plead [with your God] for me.”
Moses said, “I am going to leave you, and I will urgently petition (pray, entreat) the LORD that the swarms of insects may leave Pharaoh, his servants, and his people tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”
So Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD [on behalf of Pharaoh].
The LORD did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of [bloodsucking] insects from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his people; not one remained.
But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
On
Exodus 8:16-32
THE PLAGUES OF LICE AND OF FLIES
Exo_8:22 gives us the clue to these successive visitations-“To the end that thou mayest know.” The Egyptians worshiped the river from which the frogs came; were extremely punctilious in their purity by perpetual bathing; and sacrificed to the deities who presided over the noisome insect tribes. It was necessary to prove, therefore, that these gods were no gods, “but that the Lord made the heavens.” The just and righteous Jehovah could not expect Pharaoh to obey His voice, until He had shown Himself to be God of gods and Lord of lords, and that He was Lord “in the middle of the earth.” He is not an absentee; but nearer than breathing.
Notice the severance in Exo_8:22! We do not belong to this world, because we have been crucified to it in Christ, and in Him have risen to the heavenly places.
Comments by
WILLIAM MACDONALD
Believers Bible Commentary
On
Exodus 8:16-32
IV. MOSES’ CONFRONTATIONS WITH PHARAOH (5:1–7:13)
V. THE FIRST NINE PLAGUES (7:14–10:29)
C. The Third Plague—Lice (8:16-19)
In the third plague the dust of the earth changed into gnats or lice. This time the magicians, unable to produce lice, warned Pharaoh that a power greater than theirs was at work, but the king was obdurate. The more he hardened his heart, the more it was hardened by God.
D. The Fourth Plague—Flies (8:20-32)
8:20-24 So God sent the fourth plague—swarms of flies. As the italics in the NKJV indicate, the Hebrew literally means swarms (or “mixed”), and the specific insect (flies) is supplied by the translators. Perhaps the swarms were a mixture of many species. Since most or all of the plagues were aimed at the false gods of Egypt (the Nile, and virtually every creature was a deity in Egypt!), it is possible that the beetle is meant. This would be an attack against Khepri, the god of the sacred beetle.
8:25-32 Pharaoh buckled to the extent of allowing the Israelites to sacrifice to God in the land of Egypt. But this wouldn’t do because they would be sacrificing animals worshiped by the Egyptians and thus incite a riot. Pharaoh made a further concession: The Jews could go into the wilderness to sacrifice but they must not go . . . far. This too was unsatisfactory because God had commanded them to go three days’ journey. As soon as Egypt got relief from the plague, Pharaoh changed his mind and forbade the people to go.
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