Exodus 8:20-32
English Standard Version
The Fourth Plague: Flies
20 Then the Lord said to Moses, (A)“Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, (B)“Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 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. 22 But on that day (C)I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, (D)that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.[a] 23 Thus I will put a division[b] between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.”’” 24 And the Lord did so. (E)There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.
25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God are an (F)abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings (G)abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must go (H)three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God (I)as he tells us.” 28 So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. (J)Plead for me.” 29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from 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 let not Pharaoh (K)cheat again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” 30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 31 And the Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh (L)hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 8:22 Or that I the Lord am in the land
- Exodus 8:23 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew set redemption
Exodus 8:20-32
International Standard Version
20 The Lord told Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he’s going down to the water. You are to say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Let my people go so they can serve[a] me. 21 But if you don’t let my people go, I’ll send swarms of insects upon you, your servants, your people, and your households. The houses of Egypt—and even the ground on which they stand—will be filled with swarms of insects. 22 On that day I’ll treat the land of Goshen where my people live[b] differently so that swarms of insects won’t be there. As a result, you will know that I the Lord am in the midst of the land. 23 I’ll make a distinction between my people and your people, and this sign will occur tomorrow.”’”
24 The Lord did this, and dense swarms of insects came into the house of Pharaoh and into the houses of his servants. The land was ruined throughout[c] Egypt because of the swarms of insects. 25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, offer sacrifices to your God in the land.”
26 “It wouldn’t be right to sacrifice in this way,”[d] Moses replied, “because if we do,[e] we will sacrifice to the Lord our God what is offensive to the Egyptians.[f] If we offer sacrifices that are offensive to the Egyptians[g] in front of them, they’ll stone us, won’t they? 27 We must go a three-day journey into the desert, and we’ll offer sacrifices to the Lord our God just as he has told us.”
28 Then Pharaoh said, “I’ll let you go so you can offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the desert. But you must not go very far away. Pray for me.”
29 Moses said, “Right now I’m going to leave you, and I’ll pray to the Lord that the swarms of insects may depart from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people tomorrow. But Pharaoh, don’t continue lying by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”
30 Then Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and prayed to the Lord. 31 The Lord did what Moses asked,[h] and the swarms of insects departed from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. Not one remained. 32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart, and he did not let the people go.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 8:20 Or worship
- Exodus 8:22 Lit. are standing
- Exodus 8:24 The Heb. lacks throughout
- Exodus 8:26 Lit. thus
- Exodus 8:26 The Heb. lacks if we do
- Exodus 8:26 Lit. an abomination to the Egyptians
- Exodus 8:26 Lit. an abomination to the Egyptians
- Exodus 8:31 Lit. did according to the word of Moses
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
