"I, THE LORD, AM IN THIS LAND"

Passage: Exodus 8:16-32

Key verse: 22

NIV

The Plague of Gnats

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff(A) and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.” 17 They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats(B) came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. 18 But when the magicians(C) tried to produce gnats by their secret arts,(D) they could not.

Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, 19 the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger(E) of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart(F) was hard and he would not listen,(G) just as the Lord had said.

The Plague of Flies

20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning(H) 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(I) 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,(J) where my people live;(K) no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know(L) that I, the Lord, am in this land. 23 I will make a distinction[a] between my people and your people.(M) This sign will occur tomorrow.’”

24 And the Lord did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials; throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.(N)

25 Then Pharaoh summoned(O) Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.”

26 But Moses said, “That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the Lord our God would be detestable to the Egyptians.(P) And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must take a three-day journey(Q) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices(R) to the Lord our God, as he commands us.”

28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray(S) for me.”

29 Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only let Pharaoh be sure that he does not act deceitfully(T) again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”

30 Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord,(U) 31 and the Lord did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. 32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart(V) and would not let the people go.

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Footnotes
  1. Exodus 8:23 Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew will put a deliverance
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Third Plague: Gnats

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, (A)‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’” 17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and (B)there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. 18 The (C)magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is (D)the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The Fourth Plague: Flies

20 Then the Lord said to Moses, (E)“Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, (F)“Let my people go, that they may serve me. 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 (G)I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, (H)that 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. (I)There 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.

25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God are an (J)abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings (K)abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must go (L)three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God (M)as he tells us.” 28 So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. (N)Plead for me.” 29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you and I will plead with the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh (O)cheat again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” 30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 31 And the Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh (P)hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.

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Footnotes
  1. Exodus 8:22 Or that I the Lord am in the land
  2. Exodus 8:23 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew set redemption
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The finger of God (16-19)

The LORD, through Moses and Aaron, brought the third plague: gnats, made from abundant dust in the arid lands of Egypt, swarmed over everything. The magicians' power by their gods was broken; they could only exclaim, 'This is the finger of God!' It meant that God is real, living and active. Even his finger is powerful enough to subdue demons (Lk 11:2

). But Pharaoh's heart remained hard.

2. 'You will know that I am in this land' (2

-32)

The LORD confronts Pharaoh again through Moses: Let my people go! This time God sent flies, which were even worse than gnats. But to prove to Pharaoh the LORD is living and ruling over all peoples and lands, including Egypt, no flies appeared in Goshen, where the LORD's people lived in slavery. Pharaoh again appears to yield, asking for prayer, but only deceitfully. He does not change. Moses however is growing in confidence as the LORD's representative to challenge Pharaoh again and again, knowing this would be a long war.

Prayer: Father, your power and authority is great, even over all demonic powers. Yet you hold us in your hand. Help me trust you even in this dark land.

One Word: God is in this land