Exodus 8:17 kjv

And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

Exodus 8:17 nkjv

And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

Exodus 8:17 niv

They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.

Exodus 8:17 esv

And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt.

Exodus 8:17 nlt

So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. When Aaron raised his hand and struck the ground with his staff, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats.

Exodus 8 verses

Exodus 8 17 Meaning

Exodus 8:17 details the miraculous initiation of the third plague on Egypt: gnats. Upon God's command to Moses, Aaron extends his hand with his staff and strikes the dust of the earth. Instantly and comprehensively, all the dust throughout Egypt is transformed into countless gnats, which then infest both humans and animals. This act strikingly demonstrates Yahweh's absolute power over creation, particularly His ability to bring life from inanimate matter, thereby directly challenging the limits of human magic and any supposed power of Egyptian deities over the earth.

Exodus 8 17 Context

Exodus chapter 8 continues the narrative of the plagues upon Egypt, orchestrated by God to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. Verses 1-15 detail the second plague of frogs, which, like the first plague of blood, was initially mimicked to some extent by Pharaoh's magicians, though they ultimately failed to remove the frogs. Verse 17 introduces the third plague—gnats—which marks a critical turning point. Unlike the preceding two, this plague entirely baffles the Egyptian magicians; they cannot replicate it, leading them to concede that this demonstration of power is beyond human capabilities and must be "the finger of God" (Exod 8:19). Historically and culturally, the ancient Egyptians worshipped numerous deities, including those associated with the earth and creation. For instance, Geb was the god of the earth. This plague, where the very dust turns to living creatures, stands as a profound theological challenge to such beliefs, demonstrating Yahweh's ultimate dominion over the most fundamental elements of creation and His superiority over any supposed Egyptian god of the earth.

Exodus 8 17 Word analysis

• And they did so; (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵן – vayya‘aśū-ḵēn): This phrase indicates immediate obedience to God's command given in the preceding verse (Exod 8:16). It highlights the faithfulness and instrumentality of Moses and Aaron in executing the divine will.
• for Aaron stretched out his hand (וַיֵּט אַהֲרֹן אֶת־יָדוֹ – vayyeṭ ’ahărōn ’eṯ-yāḏô): Aaron acts as the direct agent, consistent with previous plagues where he extends his staff or hand. The stretching out of the hand often signifies the invocation of divine power or authority in biblical narratives (e.g., Exod 7:19, 8:5).
• with his staff (בְּמַטֵּהוּ – bemaṭṭēhû): The staff is not just a prop but a key symbol of divine authority given to Moses and Aaron. It acts as the physical conduit through which God's miraculous power is manifested. This staff was first empowered when it turned into a serpent (Exod 7:8-10).
• and struck the dust of the earth, (וַיַּךְ אֶת־עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ – vayyak ’eṯ-‘ăp̄ar hā’āreṣ): "Struck" (הָאָרֶץ – vayyak) signifies a decisive action initiating the supernatural event. The phrase "dust of the earth" (‘ăp̄ar hā’āreṣ) is profoundly significant. In biblical cosmology, "dust" is the base substance from which humanity was created (Gen 2:7) and to which all living things return (Gen 3:19). Its transformation into life directly asserts Yahweh's unparalleled control over the very elements of creation and life itself, contrasting sharply with any Egyptian belief that nature's forces were autonomous or governed by their gods. This is a direct polemic against gods like Geb (earth god) or Isis (goddess of fertility and life), demonstrating their impotence before Yahweh's absolute authority over even the smallest, most common particle.
• and there were gnats (וַתְּהִי הַכִּנִּם – vattehî hakkinnim): "Gnats" (kinnim) refers to a type of small, biting insect, possibly lice, midges, or mosquitoes. Their ubiquitous and irritating nature ensured widespread torment. The instantaneous "there were" emphasizes the supernatural, direct creation, not merely an aggregation of existing creatures.
• on man and beast. (בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה – bā’āḏām ūvaṣṣêṭeḵā): This highlights the pervasive and inescapable nature of the plague. No living creature, human or animal, was exempt, emphasizing the comprehensive reach of God's judgment across all sectors of Egyptian life.
• All the dust of the earth became gnats (כָּל־עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ הָיָה כִנִּים – kol-‘ăp̄ar hā’āreṣ hāyāh kinnim): This powerful repetition stresses the radical and widespread metamorphosis. It wasn't that gnats came from the dust, but the dust itself became the gnats. This is a profound act of divine transubstantiation, transforming inanimate matter directly into life, underscoring Yahweh's ultimate creative and destructive power.
• in all the land of Egypt. (בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם – bəḵol-’ereṣ miṣrāyim): This final phrase reiterates the comprehensive geographical scope, ensuring no corner of Egypt was untouched, deepening the impact and demonstrating God's sovereign reach.

Exodus 8 17 Bonus section

• The progression of the plagues reveals increasing divine intensity and specific targeting. The first two plagues, involving water and animals, allowed some human mimicry. The third plague, transforming dust into life, was a higher order of miracle, proving God's exclusive claim as the Giver of life.
• The small size and numerousness of gnats made them particularly insidious and inescapable. They could enter anywhere, causing constant discomfort without outright killing, which added to the psychological torment for the Egyptians. This aspect often gets overlooked in analyses of "larger" plagues.
• The Hebrew word for "dust" (’āp̄ār) is a common biblical term linking back to the very origins of humanity. By transforming this fundamental substance, God reminds His audience that His creative power is boundless and sovereign, affecting even the minutest particles of His creation.

Exodus 8 17 Commentary

Exodus 8:17 is a declarative statement of God's uncontestable sovereignty demonstrated through the third plague. By commanding Aaron to strike the mundane dust, God transformed it into the pervasive and irritating plague of gnats, illustrating His direct power over creation's most basic elements. This divine act left the Egyptian magicians dumbfounded and unable to replicate it, leading them to confess, "This is the finger of God" (Exod 8:19). Unlike the previous plagues, where the magicians managed partial imitations, the gnats emerged from what seemed like nothingness (dust turning into living creatures), exposing the utter limit of human magic and the infinite power of Yahweh. The plague's ubiquitous and inescapable nature, affecting every man and beast across the entire land, showcased God's pervasive judgment, ensuring discomfort and demonstrating that no one could escape His reach. This miraculous transformation also directly confronted Egyptian polytheism, asserting Yahweh's supremacy over their perceived gods of the earth and fertility by exercising absolute control over their domains.