Exodus 8:16 - Printer Friendly

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.’ ”

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).

Exodus 8:16–19 records the third plague: a massive infestation of small insects. These may have been literal "gnats," though the Hebrew word may imply lice, fleas, mosquitos, or all of these. For the first time, Pharaoh's occultists cannot even pretend to match this miracle. The Egyptian magicians attribute the plague to divine power. Yet the Egyptian king is still obstinate, refusing to release the Israelites.

After Pharaoh ignores the first plague (Exodus 7:20–23), God sends a swarm of frogs. Pharaoh's magicians can summon frogs, but they can't get rid of them. So, he appeals to Moses. Though the plague is lifted, Pharaoh re-jects the command to release Israelite slaves. This leads to a plague of gnats and then one of flies, with similar results. The arrival of these creatures might have been caused by the corruption of the Nile River, but only God's supernatural work could make them disappear. Future plagues will be increasingly severe (Exodus 9:6, 10, 22; 10:4, 22; 12:29–32).

Moses and Aaron offered a sign to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10–13), but he still refused to release the Hebrew slaves (Ex-odus 1:11–14). This triggered the first of the ten plagues of Egypt: turning water into blood (Exodus 7:20–21). This chapter includes the next three disasters: frogs, gnats, and flies. Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to concede each time. Upcoming plagues will escalate (Exodus 9:6, 10, 22, 10:4, 22), leading to the death of Egypt's firstborn (Exodus 12:29–32) and Israel's release (Exodus 12:41).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.