Exodus 8:21
But if you will not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies upon you and your officials and your people and your houses. The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground where they stand will be full of flies.
But if you will not let My people go
This phrase is part of the series of demands made by God through Moses to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. The demand to "let My people go" is a recurring theme in the narrative of the Exodus, emphasizing God's desire for the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. This reflects God's covenantal promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to make their descendants a great nation. The phrase also highlights the concept of divine authority and the consequences of disobedience to God's commands.

I will send swarms of flies upon you
The sending of swarms of flies is the fourth plague that God inflicts upon Egypt. This plague demonstrates God's power over nature and His ability to disrupt the daily life of the Egyptians. The Hebrew term used here can refer to various types of insects, possibly including biting flies or other pests. This plague serves as a direct challenge to the Egyptian gods, who were believed to protect the land and its people from such calamities.

and your officials and your people and your houses
The inclusion of officials, people, and houses indicates the widespread impact of the plague. It affects all levels of Egyptian society, from the highest officials to the common people, demonstrating that no one is exempt from God's judgment. This also underscores the communal nature of sin and its consequences, as the entire nation suffers due to Pharaoh's hardened heart.

The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground where they stand will be full of flies
This phrase emphasizes the severity and pervasiveness of the plague. The infestation of flies not only invades personal spaces but also covers the ground, making it impossible to escape the nuisance and discomfort. This imagery of overwhelming infestation serves as a metaphor for the inescapable nature of divine judgment. It also foreshadows the totality of God's deliverance for the Israelites, contrasting the oppression they faced in Egypt with the freedom they would experience in the Promised Land.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. He is the one delivering God's message to Pharaoh.

2. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt who is obstinate and refuses to let the Israelites go, despite the plagues that God sends as a warning.

3. Egypt
The land where the Israelites are enslaved. It is the setting for the plagues that God sends as a demonstration of His power.

4. The Plague of Flies
This is the fourth plague that God sends upon Egypt. It is a direct consequence of Pharaoh's refusal to heed God's command.

5. The Israelites
God's chosen people who are enslaved in Egypt and are the focus of God's deliverance plan.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Power
The plagues demonstrate God's supreme authority over creation and His ability to control nature to fulfill His purposes.

The Consequences of Disobedience
Pharaoh's refusal to obey God's command results in severe consequences, illustrating the dangers of hardening one's heart against God.

God's Protection of His People
Despite the plagues affecting Egypt, God protects the Israelites, showing His faithfulness and care for His people.

The Call to Repentance
The plagues serve as a call to repentance, urging Pharaoh and the Egyptians to recognize God's power and submit to His will.

The Importance of Obedience
Moses' role in delivering God's message emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commands, even in the face of opposition.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the plague of flies demonstrate God's power and authority over nature?

2. In what ways does Pharaoh's response to the plagues reflect the human tendency to resist God's will?

3. How can we see God's protection of His people in the midst of judgment in this passage, and how does that apply to believers today?

4. What lessons can we learn from Moses' obedience in delivering God's message to Pharaoh, despite the challenges?

5. How do the plagues in Egypt foreshadow God's ultimate judgment and deliverance as seen in other parts of Scripture, such as Revelation?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 7:16
This verse sets the stage for the plagues, as God commands Pharaoh to let His people go so they may worship Him. It highlights the ongoing conflict between God's will and Pharaoh's stubbornness.

Psalm 78:45
This Psalm recounts the plagues, including the flies, as a testament to God's power and judgment against Egypt.

Revelation 16:13-14
These verses describe unclean spirits like frogs, drawing a parallel to the plagues in Egypt as a symbol of God's judgment in the end times.
Three Plagues - Frogs, Lice, FliesJ. Orr Exodus 8:1-32
Flies in EgyptT. S. Millington.Exodus 8:20-24
God's Retributive ResourcesMatthew Wilks.Exodus 8:20-24
Increased PenaltiesExodus 8:20-24
The Plague of FliesJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 8:20-24
Various Kinds of Flies in This PlagueT. S. Millington.Exodus 8:20-24
The Fourth PlagueJ. Urquhart Exodus 8:20-32
The Fourth Plague - the Flies: the Immunities of GoshenD. Young Exodus 8:20-32
The Plague of FliesJ. Orr Exodus 8:20-32
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Moses, Pharaoh
Places
Egypt, Goshen, Nile River
Topics
Beetle, Behold, Bondmen, Clouds, Dog-flies, Dwell, Egyptians, Filled, Flies, Full, Ground, Houses, Insects, Officials, Sending, Servants, Stand, Swarms, Whereon, Wilt
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 8:21

     8833   threats

Exodus 8:21-22

     4660   insects

Exodus 8:21-24

     4843   plague

Library
Mary, Future Mother of Jesus, visits Elisabeth, Future Mother of John the Baptist.
(in the Hill Country of Judæa, b.c. 5.) ^C Luke I. 39-56. ^c 39 And Mary arose in these days [within a week or two after the angel appeared to her] and went into the hill country [the district of Judah lying south of Jerusalem, of which the city of Hebron was the center] with haste [she fled to those whom God had inspired, so that they could understand her condition and know her innocence--to those who were as Joseph needed to be inspired, that he might understand--Matt. i. 18-25], into a city
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Blasphemous Accusations of the Jews.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 22-37; ^B Mark III. 19-30; ^C Luke XI. 14-23. ^b 19 And he cometh into a house. [Whose house is not stated.] 20 And the multitude cometh together again [as on a previous occasion--Mark ii. 1], so that they could not so much as eat bread. [They could not sit down to a regular meal. A wonderful picture of the intense importunity of people and the corresponding eagerness of Jesus, who was as willing to do as they were to have done.] 21 And when his friends heard it, they went
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

He Does Battle for the Faith; He Restores Peace among those who were at Variance; He Takes in Hand to Build a Stone Church.
57. (32). There was a certain clerk in Lismore whose life, as it is said, was good, but his faith not so. He was a man of some knowledge in his own eyes, and dared to say that in the Eucharist there is only a sacrament and not the fact[718] of the sacrament, that is, mere sanctification and not the truth of the Body. On this subject he was often addressed by Malachy in secret, but in vain; and finally he was called before a public assembly, the laity however being excluded, in order that if it were
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Exodus 8:21 NIV
Exodus 8:21 NLT
Exodus 8:21 ESV
Exodus 8:21 NASB
Exodus 8:21 KJV

Exodus 8:21 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Exodus 8:20
Top of Page
Top of Page