The Meaning of Exodus 8:22 Explained

Exodus 8:22

KJV: 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.

YLT: And I have separated in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people are staying, that the beetle is not there, so that thou knowest that I am Jehovah in the midst of the land,

Darby: And I will distinguish in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no dog-flies shall be there; that thou mayest know that I Jehovah am in the midst of the land.

ASV: And I will set apart 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 Jehovah in the midst of the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 8:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 8:16-32 - The Plagues Of Lice And Of Flies
Exodus 8:22 gives us the clue to these successive visitations-"To the end that thou mayest know." The Egyptians worshiped the river from which the frogs came; were extremely punctilious in their purity by perpetual bathing; and sacrificed to the deities who presided over the noisome insect tribes. It was necessary to prove, therefore, that these gods were no gods, "but that the Lord made the heavens." The just and righteous Jehovah could not expect Pharaoh to obey His voice, until He had shown Himself to be God of gods and Lord of lords, and that He was Lord "in the middle of the earth." He is not an absentee; but nearer than breathing.
Notice the severance in Exodus 8:22! We do not belong to this world, because we have been crucified to it in Christ, and in Him have risen to the heavenly places. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 8

1  Frogs are sent
8  Pharaoh complains to Moses, who by prayer removes them
16  The dust is turned into lice, which the magicians could not do
20  The plague of flies
25  Pharaoh inclines to let the people go, but yet is hardened

What do the individual words in Exodus 8:22 mean?

and I will set apart in day that - the land of Goshen which My people dwell in that not shall be there swarms [of flies] in order that you may know that I Yahweh [am] in the midst of the land
וְהִפְלֵיתִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא אֶת־ אֶ֣רֶץ גֹּ֗שֶׁן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַמִּי֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עָלֶ֔יהָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י הֱיֽוֹת־ שָׁ֖ם עָרֹ֑ב לְמַ֣עַן תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ

וְהִפְלֵיתִי֩  and  I  will  set  apart 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: פָּלָה  
Sense: to be distinct, marked out, be separated, be distinguished.
בַיּ֨וֹם  in  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֜וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
אֶת־    - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֶ֣רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
גֹּ֗שֶׁן  of  Goshen 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֹּשֶׁן  
Sense: a region in northern Egypt, east of the lower Nile, where the children of Israel lived from the time of Joseph to the time of Moses.
עַמִּי֙  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
עֹמֵ֣ד  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
לְבִלְתִּ֥י  that  not 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
הֱיֽוֹת־  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עָרֹ֑ב  swarms  [of  flies] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָרֹב  
Sense: swarm.
לְמַ֣עַן  in  order  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
תֵּדַ֔ע  you  may  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֛י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּקֶ֥רֶב  [am]  in  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
הָאָֽרֶץ  of  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.