Fly

The Fly appears in the plague narrative as a swarm sent against Egypt after Pharaoh refuses to release the Israelites. Its arrival devastates Egyptian homes and land, while Goshen is spared; Pharaoh offers limited concessions, then reneges once the swarm is removed.

The plague and its distinction

The LORD tells Moses to confront Pharaoh at the water and demand that the Israelites be released to serve Him. If Pharaoh refuses, swarms of flies will fill the houses of Pharaoh and his servants and cover the ground. The warning also announces a boundary: Goshen, where the Israelites live, will be exempt, distinguishing them from the Egyptians.

The LORD sends the swarms as foretold. They enter Pharaoh’s and his servants’ houses, and the land of Egypt is described as ruined by them. The flies therefore function not merely as a nuisance but as a sign of the division between the people held in Egypt and the people whom Pharaoh is commanded to release.

Negotiation and aftermath

Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron and proposes that the Israelites sacrifice to their God within Egypt. Moses refuses that limitation, explaining that they must travel three days into the wilderness to sacrifice as commanded. Pharaoh then agrees to let them go into the wilderness, but insists they not go far and asks Moses to intercede.

Moses warns Pharaoh not to act deceitfully again, then prays. The LORD removes the swarms completely. Once the immediate pressure has passed, Pharaoh hardens his heart and does not let the people go; the episode’s apparent concession thus ends without fulfilling the demand.