Exodus 8:16 kjv

And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

Exodus 8:16 nkjv

So the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.' "

Exodus 8:16 niv

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,' and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats."

Exodus 8:16 esv

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.'"

Exodus 8:16 nlt

So the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Raise your staff and strike the ground. The dust will turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.'"

Exodus 8 verses

Exodus 8 16 Meaning

Exodus 8:16 describes God's command to initiate the third plague upon Egypt: the plague of gnats. Through Moses, God instructs Aaron to strike the dust of the earth with his staff, causing it to miraculously transform into biting gnats throughout the entire land. This event signifies God's sovereign power over creation, His direct intervention in human affairs, and the unfolding of His judgment against Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt, specifically highlighting the impotence of Egyptian magic.

Exodus 8 16 Context

Exodus 8:16 introduces the third plague in God's escalating series of judgments against Egypt and Pharaoh, intended to compel him to release the Israelites. This verse immediately follows the second plague of frogs (Exo 8:1-15), which, like the first plague of blood, the Egyptian magicians were able to partially replicate. The broader context of the Exodus narrative emphasizes the divine conflict between YHWH and the false gods of Egypt, manifesting as a demonstration of God's unmatched power. This particular plague marks a significant turning point as it is the first plague the Egyptian magicians are utterly unable to replicate, forcing them to concede that it is "the finger of God" (Exo 8:19). The target, the common dust of the earth, takes on deeper significance when considering Egyptian reverence for their land and the gods associated with creation and the earth itself.

Exodus 8 16 Word analysis

• "Then the LORD" (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה - vayyomer YHWH): "YHWH" is God's covenant name, emphasized throughout Exodus. It signifies the active, sovereign, and personal God of Israel. His direct speech underscores His initiative and authority behind the plague.

• "said to Moses" (אֶל-מֹשֶׁה - el Moshe): Moses is God's divinely appointed prophet and mediator, chosen to convey God's will to Aaron and Pharaoh. This highlights the structured chain of divine command.

• "Say to Aaron" (אֱמֹר אֶל-אַהֲרֹן - emor el Aharon): Aaron serves as Moses' spokesperson and agent. Though Moses receives the direct command from God, Aaron is given the specific instruction to perform the physical act, illustrating the principle of delegated authority.

• "'Stretch out your staff'" (נְטֵה מַטֶּה - neteh matteh): The staff (מַטֶּה - matteh) is not inherently magical but becomes a consecrated instrument through which God's power is channeled. It symbolizes God-given authority and a means for divine intervention. It was first introduced as Aaron's shepherd's staff, humble yet potent when used by God.

• "and strike" (וְהַכֵּה - v'hakkeh): A strong, decisive imperative verb signifying a direct and forceful act of judgment. It conveys the deliberate, targeted nature of God's action.

• "the dust" (אֶת-עֲפַר - et-aphar): Common, ubiquitous fine dry earth. Its significance is profound: humans are formed from dust (Gen 2:7), and it was considered a sacred element by Egyptians (Nile silt was foundational to their fertility and livelihood). The transformation of this common substance into a plague reveals God's control over even the most basic elements of creation. Egyptian priests were known for their strict cleanliness to avoid infestations from common creatures.

• "of the earth" (הָאָרֶץ - ha'aretz): Refers specifically to the land of Egypt. The plague affects the entire land, demonstrating God's pervasive power over the very ground they walked upon and cherished, challenging their deities like Geb, the god of the earth.

• "so that it may become" (וְהָיָה לְ - v'haya l') : Implies a supernatural transformation. This is not simply bringing existing creatures but transforming inert dust into living organisms, emphasizing God's creative power and ability to give life.

• "gnats" (כִּנִּים - kinnim): Hebrew kinnim. Variously translated as gnats, lice, or midges. These are tiny, highly irritating, blood-feeding insects. Their small size made them insidious and pervasive, difficult to escape or eliminate. Unlike larger pests, they could infest clothing, food, and people's skin directly, making cleanliness and ritual purity, especially for priests, impossible.

• "through all the land of Egypt" (בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - b'khol-eretz Mitzrayim): Emphasizes the universal, inescapable nature of the plague. No part of Egypt, no person, could avoid its impact, reinforcing the absolute reach of God's judgment.

• Words-group Analysis

  • "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron...": This established chain of command—God to Moses, and Moses to Aaron—is central to the Exodus narrative, portraying divine will channeled through chosen human instruments. It signifies God's active, direct engagement in the events.
  • "'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth'": This phrase encapsulates the core action: a simple, physical gesture with a consecrated object impacting a common, yet symbolically significant, natural element. It demonstrates God using humble means to achieve extraordinary, supernatural results, challenging the powers of a major kingdom and its spiritual system.
  • "'so that it may become gnats through all the land of Egypt'": This describes the outcome of God's command. The immediate, widespread, and transformative nature of the plague showcases YHWH's absolute control over life, creation, and the natural world, in stark contrast to the limited powers of the Egyptian deities and magicians. The invasion of tiny, biting insects everywhere emphasized an inescapable judgment.

Exodus 8 16 Bonus section

• The transition from the ability to duplicate the first two plagues to the inability to duplicate the third underscores a crucial theological point: Egyptian magic and power were limited and merely imitative, whereas YHWH's power was generative and ultimate, extending to creation itself.
• The "dust of the earth" was particularly impactful given Egypt's deep connection to the fertile Nile Delta. To turn this life-giving dust into a source of pestilence was a profound spiritual attack on their perceived sacredness of their land.
• This plague is often cited as marking the division between the "pre-finger of God" and "post-finger of God" plagues in the narrative, signifying an undeniable manifestation of divine intervention that even Pharaoh's closest advisors had to admit.
• The small size and ubiquity of gnats made them a more insidious and personal plague than the frogs or blood. They would have infested everything—bodies, food, water, and clothing—making daily life and worship nearly impossible without respite, driving home the inescapability of God's judgment.

Exodus 8 16 Commentary

Exodus 8:16 unveils the third plague, shifting the contest between YHWH and Egypt to a new level. By commanding gnats to materialize from the "dust of the earth," God directly challenged Geb, the Egyptian earth god, asserting His absolute sovereignty over the land and its components. Unlike the first two plagues which the magicians could replicate, their inability to produce gnats from dust (Exo 8:18-19) was a turning point. They declared it the "finger of God," acknowledging a power beyond their own. This failure exposed the limitation of Egyptian magic and confirmed that YHWH's power was not mere trickery, but divine, creative power. The choice of gnats (or lice) was significant; these tiny, pervasive insects not only caused widespread torment but also contaminated Egyptians, especially priests, violating the strict cleanliness and ritual purity required for their worship and temple service. This plague demonstrated YHWH's authority over the minute and mundane, impacting daily life at its most irritating and defiling level.