Exodus 8:16

ESV Then the Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’"

NIV Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats."

NASB Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Say to Aaron, ‘Extend your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may turn into gnats through all the land of Egypt.’?'

CSB Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron: Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the land, and it will become gnats throughout the land of Egypt."

NLT So the Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, ‘Raise your staff and strike the ground. The dust will turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’'

KJV And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

NKJV So the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’ ”

What does Exodus 8:16 mean?

This verse begins the account of the third plague (Exodus 7:21–23; 8:6), usually labeled with the English word "gnats" (Exodus 8:17–19). The Hebrew word used here is kinnim', related to a root word implying "attaching" or "fastening." This may refer to the insects modern people call fleas, lice, or possibly mosquitoes. These are some species—or several—of swarming, irritating insects. These would be a nuisance, as well as spreading disease and contaminating food and water. The swarms are prolific. "All the dust of the earth," so it seemed, was these insects (Exodus 8:17). This is almost certainly a metaphor, indicating that the bugs covered every surface and got into every space: just as ever-present as the dust in Egypt's desert climate.

God's action of sending "gnats" does not come with a warning, as did the previous two plagues (Exodus 7:16–17; 8:2–3). Perhaps Pharaoh was meant to see the obvious source of the plague and reach out to Moses to free the Israelites (Exodus 5:1–3). This fits the reaction of Egypt's royal sorcerers (Exodus 8:19).

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