Exodus 8:18
The magicians tried to produce gnats using their magic arts, but they could not. And the gnats remained on man and beast.
The magicians
In the context of ancient Egypt, magicians were not mere entertainers but were considered wise men and priests who wielded significant influence. They were believed to possess secret knowledge and power, often associated with the Egyptian gods. The Hebrew term used here, "חַרְטֻמִּים" (chartummim), refers to these learned men who were skilled in the sacred arts. Their inability to replicate the plague of gnats signifies the superiority of God's power over the Egyptian deities and their representatives.

tried to produce
The phrase indicates an attempt, a striving to replicate the miracle performed by God through Moses and Aaron. The Hebrew root "נָסָה" (nasah) implies an effort or trial, highlighting the magicians' determination to maintain their status and authority. This effort underscores the futility of human power when confronted with divine will, a theme prevalent throughout the Exodus narrative.

gnats
The Hebrew word "כִּנִּים" (kinim) is often translated as "gnats" or "lice." These tiny insects were a significant nuisance, representing chaos and discomfort. In the Egyptian context, cleanliness was paramount, and the presence of gnats would have been both a physical and spiritual affront. This plague, therefore, symbolizes the breakdown of order and the impotence of Egyptian gods to protect their people.

by their magic arts
The term "לָטִים" (latim) refers to secret or hidden arts, often associated with enchantments or sorcery. In the ancient world, such practices were believed to manipulate spiritual forces. The magicians' failure to replicate the miracle demonstrates the limitations of human and demonic powers against the sovereign acts of God. It serves as a reminder of the ultimate authority of the Creator over all creation.

but they could not
This phrase marks a turning point in the narrative. The magicians' inability to produce gnats signifies the beginning of their recognition of a power greater than their own. The Hebrew "וְלֹא יָכֹלוּ" (velo yacholu) emphasizes their incapacity, highlighting the distinction between divine miracles and human trickery. It is a testament to God's unmatched power and a foreshadowing of the eventual liberation of the Israelites.

And the gnats were on man and beast
The pervasive nature of the gnats, affecting both humans and animals, illustrates the comprehensive reach of God's judgment. The Hebrew "וַתְּהִי הַכִּנִּים בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה" (vatehi hakinnim ba'adam uvabhema) underscores the universality of the plague. This affliction serves as a humbling reminder of human vulnerability and the need for divine intervention. It also prefigures the ultimate deliverance of God's people, as His power is demonstrated over all creation.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. He is the central human figure in the Exodus account.

2. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt who stubbornly refuses to let the Israelites go, despite the plagues sent by God.

3. Magicians of Egypt
These are the wise men and sorcerers who serve Pharaoh, attempting to replicate the miracles performed by Moses and Aaron through their secret arts.

4. Gnats
The third plague sent by God upon Egypt. The Hebrew word for gnats, (kinim), can also be translated as lice or mosquitoes, indicating a small, irritating insect.

5. Egypt
The land where the Israelites are enslaved and where God demonstrates His power through the plagues.
Teaching Points
The Limitations of Human Power
The magicians' inability to replicate the plague of gnats underscores the limitations of human power and wisdom compared to God's omnipotence.

God's Sovereignty Over Creation
The plague of gnats demonstrates God's control over all creation, emphasizing that even the smallest creatures are under His command.

The Futility of Opposing God
Pharaoh's magicians serve as a reminder that opposing God's will is ultimately futile. God's purposes will prevail despite human resistance.

The Call to Recognize God's Authority
This passage challenges believers to recognize and submit to God's authority in their lives, trusting in His power and wisdom.

The Importance of Faithfulness
Moses and Aaron's faithfulness in delivering God's message, despite opposition, serves as an example for believers to remain steadfast in their faith.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the inability of the magicians to replicate the plague of gnats highlight the difference between God's power and human abilities?

2. In what ways does the plague of gnats demonstrate God's sovereignty over creation, and how can this understanding impact our daily lives?

3. Reflect on a time when you resisted God's will. What were the consequences, and how did you eventually submit to His authority?

4. How can the example of Moses and Aaron's faithfulness in the face of opposition encourage you in your own walk with God?

5. Consider the broader account of the plagues in Exodus. How do these events foreshadow the ultimate deliverance found in Jesus Christ?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 7:11-12
The magicians initially replicate the miracles of Moses and Aaron, such as turning staffs into serpents, but their power is limited compared to God's.

2 Timothy 3:8-9
Paul references the magicians Jannes and Jambres, who opposed Moses, highlighting the futility of resisting God's truth.

Psalm 78:45
This psalm recounts the plagues, including the gnats, as a demonstration of God's power and judgment against Egypt.
Three Plagues - Frogs, Lice, FliesJ. Orr Exodus 8:1-32
Dangerous DustSpurgeon, Charles HaddonExodus 8:16-19
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Exodus 8:16-19
The Limit of False ReligionG. F. Pentecost, D. D.Exodus 8:16-19
The Plague of LiceHomilistExodus 8:16-19
The Plague of LiceJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 8:16-19
The Plague of LiceJ. Orr Exodus 8:16-19
The Third Plague - the Gnats: the Finger of GodD. Young Exodus 8:16-19
There is a Limit to the Divine MercyJ. Urquhart Exodus 8:16-19
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Moses, Pharaoh
Places
Egypt, Goshen, Nile River
Topics
Able, Animal, Animals, Arts, Attempting, Beast, Bring, Couldn't, Enchantments, Flashings, Forth, Gnats, Inchantments, Insects, Lice, Magicians, Produce, Scribes, Secret, Sorceries, Tried, Unable, Wonder-workers
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 8:18

     5941   secrecy

Exodus 8:16-18

     4660   insects

Exodus 8:16-19

     4185   sorcery and magic

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

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