As the Nile was held sacred by the Egyptians, as well as the animals it contained, to which they annually sacrificed a girl, or as others say, both a boy and girl, God might have designed this plague as a punishment for such idolatry and cruelty; and to shew them the baseness of those elements which they reverenced, and the insufficiency of the gods in which they trusted. All the punishments brought upon them bore a strict analogy to their crimes.

17,18 Ps 78:44 105:29 Joh 2:9-11 Re 8:8 [All]

Exodus 8:5

8:5

7:19

Exodus 8:16-17

8:16

Extend <05186> [Stretch.]

5,17 [All]

gnats <03654> [lice.]

The word {kinnim} is rendered by the LXX. [skiphes, skipes,] or [sknâ€šphes,] and by the Vulgate {sciniphes,} Gnats; and Mr. Harmer supposes he has found out the true meaning in the word {tarrentes,} a species of worm. Bochart, however, seems to have proved that lice, and not gnats, are meant; because, 1. they sprang from the dust, and not from the waters; 2. they were on both man and beast, which cannot be said of gnats; 3. their name is derived from {koon,} to make firm, fix, establish, which cannot agree with gnats, flies, etc., which are ever changing place, and almost constantly on the wing; 4. the term {kinnah} is used by the Talmudists to express the louse. This insect must have been a very dreadful and afflicting plague to the Egyptians, and especially to the priests, who were obliged to shave all their hair off, and to wear a single linen tunic, to prevent vermin harbouring about them.

8:17

gnats ... people ............ gnats <0120 03654> [lice in man.]

Ps 105:31 Isa 23:9 Ac 12:23 [All]