flies

The name given to the insects sent as a plague on the land of Egypt. "... 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." Yet no flies came into the Land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived.

The Jewish commentators regarded the Hebrew word here as connected with the word 'arob (עָרוֹב), "mingled," and they accordingly supposed the plague to consist of a mixed multitude of animals, beasts, reptiles, and insects.

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References

Sources

  • Easton, M.G. (1897). Easton's Bible Dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers.
  • Ex. 8:21-31; Ps. 78:45; 105:31.

This article incorporates text from Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897) by M.G. Easton, which is in the public domain.