Exodus 8:20

The Fourth Plague: Swarms of Flies

20 The Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh when you see him going out to the water. Tell him: This is what the Lord says: Let My people go, so that they may worship^[a] Me.^[b]

Exodus 8:20 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 8:20

And the Lord said unto Moses, rise up early in the morning,
&c.] Of the day following, the twenty eight of Adar, or February, according to Bishop Usher; this was the fittest time to meet with Pharaoh, and the most likely to make impressions on him:

and stand before Pharaoh:
meet him as he comes along, and stop him, and stand before him as having something to say to him; this was using great boldness and freedom with a king; but as Moses was ordered to do it by the King of kings, it became him to obey him:

lo, he cometh forth to the water; (See Gill on Exodus 7:15)

and say unto him, thus saith the Lord, let my people go, that they may
serve me;
which had often been required before, but to no purpose, and in case of refusal he is threatened as follows.

Exodus 8:20 In-Context

18 The magicians tried to produce gnats using their occult practices, but they could not. The gnats remained on the people and animals.

19 "This is the finger of God," the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh's heart hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

20 The Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh when you see him going out to the water. Tell him: This is what the Lord says: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.

21 But if you will not let My people go, then I will send swarms of flies against you, your officials, your people, and your houses. The Egyptians' houses will swarm with flies, and so will the land where they live.

22 But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people are living; no flies will be there. This way you will know that I, the Lord, am in the land.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or serve
• [b]. Ex 4:23; 7:16