The Plague of Gnats

¹⁶ Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become ^[a]gnats through all the land of Egypt.’” ¹⁷ And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were ^[b]gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became ^[c](A)gnats through all the land of Egypt. ¹⁸ Then ^[d]the magicians did the same with their secret arts in order to bring forth ^[e]gnats, but ^(B)they could not; so there were ^[f]gnats on man and beast. ¹⁹ And the ^[g]magicians said to Pharaoh, “^(C)This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was ^[h]hardened with strength, and he did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.