Exodus 8:21-24

21 Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.
22 But on that day 1I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, 2that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.[a]
23 Thus I will put a division[b] between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen."'"
24 And the LORD did so. 3There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.

Exodus 8:21-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 8

In this chapter Pharaoh is threatened with the plague of frogs, in case he refused to let Israel go, which accordingly was brought upon him, Ex 8:1-6 and though the magicians did something similar to it, yet these were so troublesome to Pharaoh, that he promised to let the people go, and sacrifice to God, if they removed; and a time being fixed for the removal of them, it was accordingly done at the entreaty of Moses and Aaron, Ex 8:7-14 but there being a respite, Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and the plague of lice is ordered, and which was executed; and though this the magicians essayed to do, and could not, but owned it to be the finger of God, yet Pharaoh's heart was hardened, Ex 8:15-19 wherefore he is threatened with a swarm of flies, which should not infest Goshen, only the places where the Egyptians dwelt, and it was so, Ex 8:20-24 upon which Pharaoh called for Moses, and declared himself willing the people would sacrifice in the land; but this not being satisfactory, he agreed they should go into the wilderness, but not so far; and on the account of the entreaty of Moses, the plague was removed; but still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not let the people go, Ex 8:25-32.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Exodus 9:4; Exodus 11:7; [Malachi 3:18]
  • 2. ver. 10; Exodus 7:17
  • 3. Psalms 78:45; Psalms 105:31; [Isaiah 7:18]

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Or that I the Lord am in the land
  • [b]. Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew set redemption
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.