Keraia
Exodus 8

Exodus 8:28

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

Translations

Modern
Pharaoh answered, “I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”
Traditional
And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.
Literal
And Pharaoh said, “I will send you out, and you shall sacrifice to YHWH your God in the wilderness. Only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”
Latin
Dixitque Pharao: Ego dimittam vos ut sacrificetis Domino Deo vestro in deserto: verumtamen longius ne abeatis, rogate pro me.

Original

Hebrew
English
Pharaoh answered, “I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”

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

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 Hypocrisy: Pharaoh Intercession: Solicited by Pharaoh, of Moses