What is happening in this passage about the swarm of flies?

This passage tells about the fourth plague God sends on Egypt. God tells Moses to meet Pharaoh early in the morning and repeat His command to let His people go so they can serve Him. If Pharaoh refuses, God will send swarms of flies into the houses of Pharaoh, his servants, and all the Egyptians. The flies come just as God said and ruin the land. At the same time, God protects the land of Goshen, where Israel lives, so no flies appear there. This shows His control and His care for His people.

Why did God keep the flies away from the land of Goshen?

God kept the flies away from Goshen to show that He makes a clear difference between His people and those who oppose Him. While the Egyptians’ houses and land are filled with flies, the Israelites’ area is untouched. God even explains that He does this so Pharaoh will know that He is the Lord in the midst of the earth. It is not random suffering. God is showing that He rules over the whole land and can protect His people even when judgment falls around them.

Why did Moses say they could not sacrifice to God in Egypt?

Moses explains that it would not be right to sacrifice in Egypt because what Israel offers to God is hateful in Egyptian eyes. The Egyptians worship some of the animals Israel would sacrifice, so killing them in front of them would be seen as shocking and offensive. Moses says they must go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice there, just as God commands. True worship cannot be shaped by the fears and customs of those who reject God. It must follow what God says, even if rulers would prefer a safer compromise.

Why does Pharaoh offer a compromise and then harden his heart again?

When the flies make life unbearable, Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron and offers a partial obedience. First he says they may sacrifice in the land, then he allows them to go into the wilderness but not very far. He also asks Moses to pray for him. After Moses prays and God removes every fly, Pharaoh goes back on his word. His heart is set on keeping Israel under his control. This shows how a person can want relief from trouble without truly turning from sin or bowing to God’s rule.

What does this passage teach about God’s power and character?

This passage shows that God rules over nature, timing, and rulers. He sends flies at His word and removes them at His word. He can touch one part of the land with judgment and spare another part at the same time. God listens when Moses prays, which shows His mercy. Yet He also deals firmly with Pharaoh’s stubborn heart and false promises. The story shows that God cares about how He is worshiped, that He claims His people as His own, and that no king can resist Him forever without cost.

Who are the main people in this story, and how do they respond to God?

The main people are the LORD, Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the Israelites. God gives clear commands and carries out what He says. Moses listens to God, speaks boldly to Pharaoh, and prays for the people when asked. Aaron is named with Moses as they stand before Pharaoh. Pharaoh hears God’s command, feels the pressure of the plagues, and makes promises he does not keep. The Egyptians suffer under the flies. The Israelites are protected in Goshen, showing they belong to God even though they are still in Egypt.

How does God answer Moses’ prayer about the flies?

After Pharaoh asks Moses to pray, Moses leaves Pharaoh and cries out to the Lord about the flies. God listens and acts in a clear and complete way. The swarms of flies are removed from Pharaoh, his servants, and his people. The text says there did not remain one. This shows that God not only sends judgment but can also take it away completely. It also shows the place of intercession, as Moses stands between God and Pharaoh in prayer. Yet, even such a clear answer does not soften Pharaoh’s stubborn heart.

What warning does Pharaoh’s hardened heart give to readers today?

Pharaoh’s pattern warns against seeking help from God while still holding tight to disobedience. When trouble comes, he speaks of letting Israel go, but once relief comes, he hardens his heart again and keeps them trapped. This shows how the heart can grow more stubborn when it keeps saying no to clear light and mercy. The warning is not to play with half‑obedience or empty promises to God just to escape hard times, but to respond with real repentance and a willing heart when He speaks.

What does this passage say about true worship and separation from evil practices?

Moses insists that Israel must leave Egypt and go a set distance into the wilderness to worship. They cannot reshape God’s command so that worship fits Egyptian ideas or avoids offense. Their sacrifices would be hated by the Egyptians, so staying would lead to conflict or worse. This shows that true worship belongs to God alone and must follow His word, not the wishes of those who reject Him. It also shows that there is a needed distance from sinful customs when God’s people serve Him.

Exod.8.20

Exodus 8:20

KJV GOD

¶ And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

The Fourth Plague: Flies

¶ And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.

And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.

And the Lord did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.

And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?

We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us.

And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.

And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.

And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the Lord.

And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.

And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.