EXODUS 8
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’” 17 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. 18 The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. – Exodus 8:16-19
EXODUS 8 THE THIRD PLAGUE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When Pharaoh didn’t release the Israelites after the plague of the frogs
The Lord sent the third plague to the Egyptians by swarming them with gnats
Every beast and man were covered with gnats in all the land of Egypt
But Pharaoh’s heart continued to be hardened and would not listen.
In my own experience as a gardener, gnats are the most annoying creature. I remember one time when I had a mason jar indoor herb garden in the winter and had an infestation of gnats. It consumed me for many months trying to get rid of it. I can not imagine how any of those Egyptians could deal with this plague of gnats all over them.
According to a commentary from the-scripture co.uk, Pharaoh was not given a warning or thinking time about this plague from God as he did with the others. The commentary says that this was a judgment against “Set”, the god of the desert. Unlike the previous plagues, the magicians were unable to duplicate this one and declared to Pharaoh that this must be the finger God. Biblewise.com says that what was alarming was that the gnats came from the dust of the ground, from the earth. The first plague of frogs came from the water. The next plague will come from the sky. So, by having the gnats come from the earth, the narrator is showing the totality of creation- water, earth, sky. The undoing of all aspects of creation will be involved in the lessons for Pharaoh and his people.
REFLECTION
- Why do you think God sent this plague of gnats to Pharaoh and the Egyptians?
- What is God warning mankind about this plague?
