The Meaning of Exodus 8:18 Explained

Exodus 8:18

KJV: And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.

YLT: And the scribes do so with their flashings, to bring out the gnats, and they have not been able, and the gnats are on man and on beast;

Darby: And the scribes did so with their sorceries, to bring forth gnats; but they could not. And the gnats were on man and on beast.

ASV: And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: and there were lice upon man, and upon beast.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the magicians  did  so with their enchantments  to bring forth  lice,  but they could  not: so there were lice  upon man,  and upon beast. 

What does Exodus 8:18 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 8:18 mean?

And worked so the magicians with their enchantments to bring forth - lice but not they could So there were lice on man and beast
וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־ כֵ֨ן הַחַרְטֻמִּ֧ים בְּלָטֵיהֶ֛ם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־ הַכִּנִּ֖ים וְלֹ֣א יָכֹ֑לוּ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־  And  worked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כֵ֨ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
הַחַרְטֻמִּ֧ים  the  magicians 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַרְטֹם  
Sense: diviner, magician, astrologer.
בְּלָטֵיהֶ֛ם  with  their  enchantments 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לָט  
Sense: secrecy, mystery, enchantment.
לְהוֹצִ֥יא  to  bring  forth 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
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.
הַכִּנִּ֖ים  lice 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: gnat, gnats, gnat-swarm.
וְלֹ֣א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָכֹ֑לוּ  they  could 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
וַתְּהִי֙  So  there  were 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַכִּנָּ֔ם  lice 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: gnat, gnats, gnat-swarm.
בָּאָדָ֖ם  on  man 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה  and  beast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.