God’s Word Translation
Exodus 8:17
17When Moses told him, Aaron held out the staff in his hand and struck the dust on the ground. It turned into gnats that bit people and animals. All the dust on the ground everywhere in Egypt turned into gnats.
Exodus 8:17 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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.
- English Standard Version (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.
- New King James Version (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.
Context of Exodus 8:17
15When Pharaoh saw that the plague was over, he became stubborn and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, as the Lord had predicted. 16Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Hold out your staff and strike the dust on the ground. All over Egypt the dust will turn into gnats.’ ” When Moses told him, Aaron held out the staff in his hand and struck the dust on the ground. It turned into gnats that bit people and animals. All the dust on the ground everywhere in Egypt turned into gnats. 18The magicians also tried to produce gnats using their magic spells, but they couldn’t do it. The gnats bit people and animals. 19So the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the hand of God!” Yet, Pharaoh continued to be stubborn and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, as the Lord had predicted.
Read all of Exodus 8Exodus 8:17 word by word
וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֗ן וַיֵּט֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן אֶת־יָד֤וֹ בְמַטֵּ֙הוּ֙ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה כָּל־עֲפַ֥ר הָאָ֛רֶץ הָיָ֥ה כִנִּ֖ים בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- so; for Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- stretched outנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- his handיָדyâd · handH3027
- with his rodמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
- and smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- and it became liceכֵּןkên · gnatH3654
- in manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- and in beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- throughout all the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
Cross-references for Exodus 8:17
- Psalms 105:31He spoke, and swarms of flies and gnats infested their whole territory.
- Isaiah 23:9The Lord of Armies planned this in order to dishonor all arrogant people and to humiliate all the honored people of the world.
- Acts 12:23Immediately, an angel from the Lord killed Herod for not giving glory to God. Herod was eaten by maggots, and he died.
Commentaries on Exodus 8:17
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-19Verses 16-19 These lice were produced out of the dust of the earth; out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those who rebel against him. Even the dust of the earth obeys him. These lice were very troublesome, as well as disgraceful to the Egyptians, whose priests were obliged to take much pains that no vermin ever should be found about them. All the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, had reference to their national…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-19The third plague was the plague of gnats. The word translated gnats is very general. Technical Old Testament dictionaries often translate it as vermin. The English term bugs would come close. The whole land was infested with insects of one sort or another.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1916. smite the dust of the land, &c.--Aaron's rod, by the direction of Moses, who was commanded by God, was again raised, and the land was filled with gnats, mosquitoes--that is the proper meaning of the original term. In ordinary circumstances they embitter life in Eastern countries, and therefore the terrible nature of this infliction on Egypt may be imagined when no precautions could preserve from their painful sting. The very smallness and…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 8:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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