Topical Encyclopedia
Gnats are small, flying insects that are mentioned in the Bible, specifically in the context of the plagues of Egypt. They are part of the third plague that God inflicted upon Egypt as a demonstration of His power and as a judgment against Pharaoh for refusing to let the Israelites go. The account of this plague is found in the book of Exodus.
Biblical Account:In
Exodus 8:16-19 , the narrative describes how the Lord instructed Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out his staff and strike the dust of the ground. As a result, gnats came upon men and animals throughout the land of Egypt. The passage reads:
"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron, "Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground," and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.' They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came upon men and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. The magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, but they could not. And the gnats were on men and animals. The magicians said to Pharaoh, 'This is the finger of God.' But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said."
Significance:The plague of gnats is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it demonstrates the power of God over creation, as He transforms the dust of the earth into living creatures. This act underscores the sovereignty of God over the natural world and His ability to use it to fulfill His purposes.
Secondly, the inability of the Egyptian magicians to replicate this miracle marks a turning point in the plagues. While they were able to mimic the first two plagues (the turning of the Nile into blood and the plague of frogs), they could not produce gnats. This failure led them to acknowledge the divine origin of the plague, stating, "This is the finger of God."
Lastly, the plague of gnats serves as a judgment against the Egyptian deities and the hardness of Pharaoh's heart. Despite the clear evidence of God's power, Pharaoh's refusal to heed the warnings and let the Israelites go highlights the spiritual blindness and stubbornness that can result from a hardened heart.
Cultural and Historical Context:In the ancient Near East, gnats and other small insects were common nuisances, particularly in the warm and humid climate of Egypt. The transformation of dust into gnats would have been a particularly distressing plague, as it affected both people and animals, causing discomfort and potentially spreading disease.
Theologically, the plagues of Egypt, including the plague of gnats, are seen as acts of divine judgment against the false gods of Egypt. Each plague targeted specific aspects of Egyptian life and religion, demonstrating the impotence of their deities and the supremacy of the God of Israel.
Symbolism:In a broader symbolic sense, gnats can represent the pervasive and inescapable nature of divine judgment. Just as the gnats covered the land and affected all living beings, so too does God's judgment reach all areas of life, leaving no one untouched. This serves as a reminder of the need for repentance and obedience to God's commands.
Strong's Hebrew
3654. ken -- gnat,gnats, a gnat swarm... 3653b, 3654. ken. 3655 . gnat,
gnats, a gnat swarm. Transliteration:
ken Phonetic Spelling: (kane) Short Definition:
gnats. Word
...Library
Fun and Mischief. His Little Cousin and the "Gnats. " the Aurora...
... CHAPTER IV. Fun and Mischief. His Little Cousin and the "Gnats." The Aurora Borealis....
Fun and Mischief. His Little Cousin and the "Gnats." The Aurora Borealis....
The Simple Nature of the Soul is Asserted with Plato. The Identity...
... dissection. Philosophers have affirmed it to be a certain fact, thatgnats,
and ants, and moths have no pulmonary or arterial organs....
Of the Siege of the City of Nisibis, and the Apostolic...
... divine man consented and climbed up into a tower but when he saw the innumerable
host he discharged no other curse than to that mosquitoes andgnats might be...
2 Cor. xiii. 10
... as great as betweengnats and us, or much greater? Quite plainly it is much
greater, yea, infinite. If then we vainglorious creatures...
Hypocrisy
... Mark you, my dear friends, I like you to strain at thegnats; I have no objection
to that at all"only do not swallow the camel afterwards....
The Second Part.
... in lighter matters joyned with omission and neglect of greater, wise in circumstance,
and carelesse in substance, tithing mint, straining atgnats, &c....
Exodus
... God upon the obstinate king of Egypt and his unhappy land: the water of the Nile
is turned into blood (vii.), there are plagues of frogs,gnats, gadflies (viii...
The Idols Crumble
...Gnats wove their mazes in the narrow casement that opened on the outside world,
and now and then the twitter of birds sounded very close to it....
Empedocles Increased the Absurdity of Pythagoras by Developing the...
... Then opposed to spirit are those creatures which seem to have no respiration, being
unfurnished with lungs and windpipes, such asgnats, ants, moths, and...
Face to Face with Shams
... There are ways of saying things, father,' said Philip, smiling; thegnats buzz,
and the thunder roars, and the ultimate elements of sound are much the same...
Thesaurus
Gnats (5 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Gnats (5 Occurrences). Exodus 8:16 And Jehovah
said to Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy staff, and
...Gnat (1 Occurrence)
... Bible "in like manner," Septuagint hosper tauta, Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible,
390-405 AD) sicut haec, the Revised Version, margin has "likegnats" since ken...
Staff (91 Occurrences)
... Exodus 8:16 And Jehovah said to Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy staff, and
smite the dust of the earth, and it shall becomegnats throughout the land of...
Flashings (5 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Exodus 8:18 And the scribes do so with their flashings, to bring out the
gnats, and they have not been able, and thegnats are on man and on beast; (YLT)...
Smiteth (156 Occurrences)
... Exodus 8:17 And they do so, and Aaron stretcheth out his hand with his rod, and
smiteth the dust of the land, and thegnats are on man and on beast; all the...
Stretcheth (33 Occurrences)
... Exodus 8:17 And they do so, and Aaron stretcheth out his hand with his rod, and
smiteth the dust of the land, and thegnats are on man and on beast; all the...
Sorceries (11 Occurrences)
... (DBY). Exodus 8:18 And the scribes did so with their sorceries, to bring forthgnats;
but they could not. And thegnats were on man and on beast. (DBY)....
Gnaw (4 Occurrences)
Vanished (13 Occurrences)
... And look attentively unto the earth beneath, For the heavens as smoke have vanished,
And the earth as a garment weareth out, And its inhabitants asgnats do die...
Lice (4 Occurrences)
... to in Psalm 105:31. Some have supposed that the word denotes not lice properly,
butgnats. Others, with greater probability, take...
Resources
What was the meaning and purpose of the ten plagues of Egypt? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was the significance of Aaron's rod? | GotQuestions.orgCan we speak things into existence? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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