Exodus 8:21 kjv

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.

Exodus 8:21 nkjv

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.

Exodus 8:21 niv

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.

Exodus 8:21 esv

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.

Exodus 8:21 nlt

If you refuse, then I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, your people, and all the houses. The Egyptian homes will be filled with flies, and the ground will be covered with them.

Exodus 8 verses

Exodus 8 21 Meaning

Exodus 8:21 declares God's stern warning to Pharaoh regarding the fourth plague. It states that if Pharaoh refuses to release the Israelites, God Himself will dispatch swarms of biting, bothersome, and possibly disease-carrying insects. This divine judgment would comprehensively affect Pharaoh, his officials, and all Egyptian people, infiltrating their homes and covering the ground where they stand, ensuring no sanctuary from the pestilence.

Exodus 8 21 Context

Exodus chapter 8 continues the narrative of God's plagues on Egypt, a series of divine judgments orchestrated to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. This specific verse follows the plagues of water turned to blood, frogs, and gnats, each progressively escalating in severity and directly challenging Pharaoh's will and the impotence of Egyptian deities. It represents God's final warning before the fourth plague, the 'swarms of flies,' a plague characterized by a clear distinction in its impact between Egyptians and Israelites—a theological and historical marker previously hinted at but now made explicit. Historically, Egypt was a fertile land, but also one susceptible to insect infestations. However, the intensity, targeting, and, crucially, the selective nature of this plague mark it as a supernatural act rather than a mere natural phenomenon. The challenge "Let My people go" reverberates through these warnings, setting the stage for Pharaoh's persistent defiance and God's unwavering resolve.

Exodus 8 21 Word analysis

• Else (וְאִם / v'im): Signifies a conditional ultimatum. It presents Pharaoh with a clear choice: obedience leading to avoidance of the plague, or continued defiance resulting in inevitable judgment. It underscores God's justice, giving a warning before execution.
• if you will not let My people go: Reiterates the central demand of Yahweh, originally voiced in Exodus 5:1 and repeated throughout. The possessive "My people" highlights God's covenantal ownership of Israel and His divine right to intervene on their behalf against human oppressors. Pharaoh's continued refusal constitutes a direct rebellion against the Creator.
• behold (הִנֵּה / hinneh): An emphatic particle used to draw immediate attention to what follows, emphasizing its certainty and importance. It underscores the direct, volitional action of God about to occur.
• I will send (מַשְׁלִיחַ / mashliah): Declares divine agency. This is not a random natural occurrence, but a deliberate act of God. It highlights God's sovereignty over creation and His direct involvement in human history and judgment.
• swarms of flies (הֶעָרֹב / he'arov): Hebrew עָרֹב (arov), referring to a mass of various or specific biting, noxious insects (such as dog-flies or gadflies). This plague is distinct from earlier ones like gnats (kinnim), indicating God's varied dominion over the insect world. The choice of arov also potentially challenged Egyptian veneration of insect life (e.g., scarab beetles) or their deities associated with fertility and health, demonstrating Yahweh's power to turn sacred or common creatures into instruments of torment and filth.
• on you and on your servants and on your people: Details the universal scope of the judgment within Egypt, encompassing Pharaoh, his immediate governmental officials (the decision-makers and implementers of his will), and the general populace. No one is exempt from the consequence of Pharaoh's disobedience.
• and into your houses: Specifies the penetration of the plague into private, domestic spaces, demonstrating that the judgment is not merely external but deeply invasive, destroying comfort, hygiene, and the sanctity of personal dwellings.
• and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies: Emphasizes the overwhelming intensity and pervasiveness of the infestation, implying no place of escape or refuge for the Egyptians from this divine torment. The term "full" (מָלְאוּ / male'u) indicates a complete inundation.
• and also the ground on which they stand: Extends the plague's reach to outdoor areas and public spaces, illustrating the all-encompassing nature of the judgment. This ensures that every part of Egyptian life, indoors and outdoors, is plagued.

Exodus 8 21 Bonus section

The choice of "flies" (עָרֹב / arov) as a plague animal might have a specific cultural impact. While its exact identity is debated among scholars (some suggest biting stable flies, others gadflies, or even a mix of troublesome insects), the general idea of omnipresent, biting, disease-carrying pests would have been a direct assault on the Egyptians' concept of Ma'at (cosmic order, justice, balance) and their strong emphasis on hygiene and purity, particularly among priests. Egyptian iconography sometimes included insect motifs, like the scarab, which was sacred and represented creation and rebirth. Turning such creatures, or similar ones, into an instrument of defilement and suffering would have been a direct theological polemic, demonstrating the inability of their deities to protect their worshipers or maintain the ordered cosmos they purportedly governed. This plague thus signifies Yahweh's ultimate dominion over creation and His capacity to bring chaos where human gods could only promise order.

Exodus 8 21 Commentary

Exodus 8:21 presents God's escalating judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt. After three preceding plagues—blood, frogs, and gnats—which likely tested Pharaoh's resilience, God introduces the plague of arov or "swarms of flies." This plague marks a significant escalation for several reasons. Firstly, it explicitly threatens the total saturation of Egyptian spaces, private and public, with vile insects, demonstrating Yahweh's control over every facet of their lives. Unlike earlier plagues that were also severe, this one promises an undeniable physical omnipresence that impacts comfort, cleanliness, and perhaps even health through biting and disease.

Secondly, and critically for understanding God's covenant, this warning explicitly introduces the distinction God will make between Egyptians and Israelites, marking Goshen (Exo 8:22) as exempt. This discrimination is a direct challenge to the power and claims of Egyptian gods, proving Yahweh's exclusive ability to control the reach of His judgment, transcending natural laws and geographical boundaries. This specific immunity serves as tangible evidence that the plagues are not random misfortunes but targeted acts of the sovereign God.

Finally, the comprehensive nature of the target – "you [Pharaoh], and your servants, and your people, and into your houses; and the houses...shall be full... and also the ground" – underscores the total impact intended by God. Pharaoh, as the one defiant against God's will, bears personal responsibility for the suffering inflicted upon his entire domain, including his highest officials and the general populace. The very ground they walk on, a symbol of their dominion, will be infested, leaving them without an inch of solace. This demonstrates that continued rebellion against God's clear commands results in pervasive and inescapable consequences for a nation's leadership and people alike.