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Exodus 8:15-32
New American Standard Bible
Exodus 8:15-32
New American Standard Bible
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he [a]hardened his heart and (A)did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
The Plague of Insects
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Extend your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may turn into [b]gnats through all the land of Egypt.’” 17 They did so; and Aaron extended his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were [c]gnats on every [d]person and animal. All the dust of the earth turned into [e](B)gnats through all the land of Egypt. 18 The soothsayer priests tried with their secret arts to produce [f]gnats, but (C)they could not; so there were [g]gnats on every person and animal. 19 Then the soothsayer priests said to Pharaoh, “(D)This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was [h]hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “(E)Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, [i]as (F)he comes out to the water; and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “(G)Let My people go, so that they may serve Me. 21 For if you are not going to let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they live. 22 (H)But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are [j]living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that [k](I)I, the Lord, am in the midst of the land. 23 I will [l]put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.”’” 24 Then the Lord did so. And [m]thick swarms of flies entered the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants, and the land was (J)laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt.
25 Then Pharaoh (K)called for Moses and Aaron and said, “(L)Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It is not permissible for us to do so, because we will sacrifice to the Lord our God [n]that which is (M)an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice [o]that which is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must go a (N)three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God, just as He [p]commands us.” 28 Pharaoh said, “(O)I will let you go, so that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. (P)Plead for me.” 29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going to leave 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 do not let Pharaoh (Q)deal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”
30 So (R)Moses left Pharaoh and pleaded with the Lord. 31 The Lord did [q]as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh [r]hardened his heart this time also, and (S)he did not let the people go.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 8:15 Lit made heavy
- Exodus 8:16 Or lice
- Exodus 8:17 Or lice
- Exodus 8:17 I.e., Egyptians and their livestock
- Exodus 8:17 Or lice
- Exodus 8:18 Or lice
- Exodus 8:18 Or lice
- Exodus 8:19 Lit strong
- Exodus 8:20 Lit behold
- Exodus 8:22 Lit standing
- Exodus 8:22 Or I am the Lord in the midst of the earth
- Exodus 8:23 Lit set a ransom
- Exodus 8:24 Lit heavy
- Exodus 8:26 Lit the abomination of Egypt
- Exodus 8:26 Lit the abomination of Egypt
- Exodus 8:27 Lit says to us
- Exodus 8:31 Lit according to the word of Moses
- Exodus 8:32 Lit made heavy
Exodus 8:15-32
New International Version
Exodus 8:15-32
New International Version
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief,(A) he hardened his heart(B) and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
The Plague of Gnats
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff(C) 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(D) came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. 18 But when the magicians(E) tried to produce gnats by their secret arts,(F) they could not.
Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, 19 the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger(G) of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart(H) was hard and he would not listen,(I) just as the Lord had said.
The Plague of Flies
20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning(J) 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(K) 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,(L) where my people live;(M) no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know(N) that I, the Lord, am in this land. 23 I will make a distinction[a] between my people and your people.(O) 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.(P)
25 Then Pharaoh summoned(Q) 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.(R) And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must take a three-day journey(S) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices(T) 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(U) 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(V) again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”
30 Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord,(W) 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(X) and would not let the people go.
Footnotes
- Exodus 8:23 Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew will put a deliverance
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.