Exodus 8:20-23

The Plague of Flies

20 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

21 If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them.

22 “ ‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land.

23 I will make a distinction^[a] between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’ ”

Exodus 8:20-23 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

• 1. Exodus 7:15; Exodus 9:13
• 2. ver 1; S Exodus 3:18
• 3. S Genesis 45:10
• 4. Ex 9:4,6,26; Exodus 10:23; Exodus 11:7; Exodus 12:13; Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 4:20; Deuteronomy 7:6; Deuteronomy 14:2; Deuteronomy 26:18; 1 Kings 8:36; Job 36:11; Psalms 33:12; Psalms 135:4; Malachi 3:17
• 5. Exodus 7:5; Exodus 9:29
• 6. Exodus 9:4,6; Exodus 10:23; Exodus 11:7; Exodus 12:13,23,27

Footnotes

• [a] Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew "will put a deliverance"