Keraia
Exodus 8

Exodus 8:24

The Fourth Plague: Flies · Exodus 8:20–32
Read Exodus 8

Translations

Modern
And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials. Throughout Egypt the land was ruined by swarms of flies.
Traditional
And the Lord did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.
Literal
And YHWH did so, and heavy swarms came into the house of Pharaoh and the house of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt; the land was ruined from before the swarm.
Latin
Fecitque Dominus ita. Et venit musca gravissima in domos Pharaonis et servorum ejus, et in omnem terram Ægypti: corruptaque est terra ab hujuscemodi muscis.

Original

Hebrew
English
And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials. Throughout Egypt the land was ruined by swarms of flies.

Notes

Exodus 8:20–32

The fourth plague was the plague of flies. The Egyptians worshiped insects such as flies that seemed to be able to turn death into life, as their young seemed to emerge from decaying matter. If the Egyptians thought that insects had the secret of life, God would let them have all the insects they wanted. Some say that this infestation was the natural result of all the dead frogs, but there were no flies in Goshen (8:22), the northeastern delta area where the Hebrews lived. God’s miraculous power was clearly seen in his ability to infest one area while sparing another at will.

Theme notes and profiles

Egypt Moses Pharaoh The Plagues

Events

People

Pharaoh: Egyptian Pharaoh during the Exodus

Places

Egypt: Ancient nation; Israelites enslaved there; plagues and Exodus

Glossary

Aaron Book of Exodus Deuteronomy, Book of Frog Gnat Hardness of Heart History of Israel Jannes and Jambres Magic Numbers and Numerology Plague Plagues upon Egypt

Topics

Flies: Plague of Miracles Wrought Through Servants of God: Moses and Aaron: Flies Brought The Anger of God: Exemplified Against: Egyptians