After exacting a plague of gnats on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, God said to Moses,
“Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river. Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go so that they may worship me. 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.”
“But on this day, I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live. No swarms of flies will be there so you will know that I, the Lord, am in the land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. The sign will occur tomorrow.”
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 flies.
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.”
But Moses said, “That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? We must take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to God as he commands us.”
Pharaoh said, I will let you go to offer sacrifices to your God in the wilderness, but you must not go far. Now pray for me.”
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 again.”
Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to God and the Lord did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Not a single fly remained. But again, Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the Israelites go.
What the story means to us today
Pharaoh is given another chance – but fails to heed God’s command
After no warning was provided for the previous plague, Pharaoh is now given another chance to let the Israelites go. To demonstrate God’s authority, Moses tells Pharaoh when the plague will start – and that the plague will only harm Egyptians, not the Israelites.
There should be no question about the magnitude of God’s sovereignty and power. But despite the uncanny prediction, Pharaoh again deceives Moses and goes back on his word. Pharaoh will pay for his deceit. The next plague will be the harshest yet.
Additional thoughts and considerations
Why would Moses believe their sacrifices would be detestable to the Egyptians?
The original Hebrew is difficult to translate but generally indicates the animals sacrificed by Moses and the Israelites were considered sacred by the Egyptians. Egypt had many gods that represented a wide variety of animals. Sacrificing a sacred animal would be offensive to the Egyptians and would have triggered an intense reaction from the people.
The science and history behind the story
Flies in Egypt
Egypt has always suffered from flies, particularly dogflies, a blood-sucking fly that inflicts painful bites on animals and people. However, dogflies typically appear in Egypt during the Spring, not the Fall when the plague described in these verses is believed to have occurred.
Egyptian offense at Hebrew sacrifices
Moses’ claim that offering their sacrifices in Egypt would offend the Egyptians sounds like an excuse but documents from the fifth century confirm just such an event actually occurred. Historical records show that Jewish sacrifices in ancient Elephantine triggered a violent Egyptian reaction among the people.
Notes on Biblical translation
“Flies”
The meaning of the original Hebrew word translated to “flies” is unknown. It means some sort of mixture, such as a swam of insects or flies.
No flies in Goshen?
The verses say, “Where my people live, no swarms of flies will appear there.” However, the word often translated to “live” may also be translated as “stand”. This could indicate the flies did not invade where the people stood. Given this translation, flies may have indeed entered Goshen but avoided only the Israelites making the plague of flies even more remarkable.
Bible Text
NIV
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 between my people and your people. 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.
25 Then Pharaoh summoned 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. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices 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 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 again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.”
30 Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD, 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 and would not let the people go.
The New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. Print.
The NET Bible
8:20 The LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and position yourself before Pharaoh as he goes out to the water, and tell him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Release my people that they may serve me! 8:21 If you do not release my people, then I am going to send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and in your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground they stand on. 8:22 But on that day I will mark off the land of Goshen, where my people are staying, so that no swarms of flies will be there, that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of this land. 8:23 I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.” ’ ” 8:24 The LORD did so; a thick swarm of flies came into Pharaoh’s house and into the houses of his servants, and throughout the whole land of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies.
8:25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 8:26 But Moses said, “That would not be the right thing to do, for the sacrifices we make to the LORD our God would be an abomination to the Egyptians. If we make sacrifices that are an abomination to the Egyptians right before their eyes, will they not stone us? 8:27 We must go on a three-day journey into the desert and sacrifice to the LORD our God, just as he is telling us.”
8:28 Pharaoh said, “I will release you so that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the desert. Only you must not go very far. Do pray for me.”
8:29 Moses said, “I am going to go out from you and pray to the LORD, and the swarms of flies will go away from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow. Only do not let Pharaoh deal falsely again by not releasing the people to sacrifice to the LORD.” 8:30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD, 8:31 and the LORD did as Moses asked—he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained! 8:32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also and did not release the people.
Biblical Studies Press. The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2006. Print.
New King James Version
20 And the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Then say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “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, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22 And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land. 23 I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.” ’ ” 24 And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies.
25 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.”
26 And Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us? 27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He will command us.”
28 So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me.”
29 Then Moses said, “Indeed I am going out from you, and I will entreat the LORD, that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. But let Pharaoh not deal deceitfully anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”
30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. 31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982. Print.
The Message
20–23 GOD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes down to the water. Tell him, ‘GOD’s Message: Release my people so they can worship me. If you don’t release my people, I’ll release swarms of flies on you, your servants, your people, and your homes. The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground under their feet will be thick with flies. But when it happens, I’ll set Goshen where my people live aside as a sanctuary—no flies in Goshen. That will show you that I am GOD in this land. I’ll make a sharp distinction between your people and mine. This sign will occur tomorrow.’ ”
24 And GOD did just that. Thick swarms of flies in Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his servants. All over Egypt, the country ruined by flies.
25 Pharaoh called in Moses and Aaron and said, “Go ahead. Sacrifice to your God—but do it here in this country.”
26–27 Moses said, “That would not be wise. What we sacrifice to our GOD would give great offense to Egyptians. If we openly sacrifice what is so deeply offensive to Egyptians, they’ll kill us. Let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to our GOD, just as he instructed us.”
28 Pharaoh said, “All right. I’ll release you to go and sacrifice to your GOD in the wilderness. Only don’t go too far. Now pray for me.”
29 Moses said, “As soon as I leave here, I will pray to GOD that tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh, his servants, and his people. But don’t play games with us and change your mind about releasing us to sacrifice to GOD.”
30–32 Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to GOD. GOD did what Moses asked. He got rid of the flies from Pharaoh and his servants and his people. There wasn’t a fly left. But Pharaoh became stubborn once again and wouldn’t release the people.
Peterson, Eugene H. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005. Print.
King James Version
20 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. 22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. 23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be. 24 And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies. 25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. 26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? 27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us. 28 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. 29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD. 30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. 31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one. 32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
The Holy Bible: King James Version. Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009. Print.