וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֗ן וַיֵּט֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן אֶת־יָדֹ֤ו בְמַטֵּ֨הוּ֙ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה כָּל־עֲפַ֥ר הָאָ֛רֶץ הָיָ֥ה כִנִּ֖ים בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(Exodus 8:17)
And they did so, and Aharon stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and it became gnats on man and on beast; all the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Mitsrayim.
Word-by-Word Explanation
- וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן – “and they did so.” From עָשָׂה (“to do, make”), wayyiqtol (narrative past), 3rd person plural. כֵן means “so / thus.”
- וַיֵּט – “and he stretched out.” From נָטָה (“to stretch, extend”), wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular—“he stretched out.”
- אַהֲרֹן – “Aharon (Aaron),” the subject of the action.
- אֶת־יָדֹו – “his hand.” Direct object marker אֶת, plus יָד (“hand”) with suffix -וֹ (“his”).
- בְמַטֵּהוּ – “with his staff.” Preposition בְ (“with”) + מַטֶּה (“staff, rod”) + suffix -הוּ (“his”).
- וַיַּךְ – “and he struck.” From נָכָה (“to strike, smite”), wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular.
- אֶת־עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ – “the dust of the earth.” עָפָר (“dust”), plus הָאָרֶץ (“the earth, the land”).
- וַתְּהִי – “and it became.” From הָיָה (“to be, become”), wayyiqtol feminine singular. The form agrees with עֲפַר (“dust”), which is a feminine singular noun, not with כִּנִּים.
- הַכִּנָּם – “gnats / lice.” A rare word, from the root כ.נ.ם, a hapax legomenon (only here and related plague passages). Comparative Semitic studies suggest tiny stinging insects, likely gnats or lice. The Septuagint renders it σκνῖφες (“gnats”).
- בָּאָדָם – “on man.” Preposition בְּ (“on, in”) + אָדָם (“man, humankind”).
- וּבַבְּהֵמָה – “and on beast.” וּ (“and”) + בַּ (“on the”) + בְּהֵמָה (“beast, cattle, animal”).
- כָּל־עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ – “all the dust of the earth.” כָּל (“all, every”), repeated for emphasis.
- הָיָה כִנִּים – “became gnats.” From הָיָה (“to be, become”) + plural כִּנִּים (“gnats”). Note: the article in הַכִּנָּם is generic, so best translated simply as “gnats,” not “the gnats.”
- בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם – “in all the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt).” בְּכָל (“in all”) + אֶרֶץ (“land”) + מִצְרָיִם (“Egypt”).
Word Order and Sentence Flow
The verse unfolds with classic Hebrew narrative rhythm, using וַ + verb forms (wayyiqtol) to move the story along. Each action follows like falling dominoes:
- “And they did so” (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵן)
- “And he stretched out” (וַיֵּט)
- “And he struck” (וַיַּךְ)
- “And it became” (וַתְּהִי)
This piling up of verbs creates momentum, showing how quickly the event unfolded.
Action Flow Chart
| Action | Who | Object / Result |
|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵן They did so |
People (plural) | Obeying instruction |
| וַיֵּט He stretched out |
Aharon | His hand with his staff |
| וַיַּךְ He struck |
Aharon | Dust of the earth |
| וַתְּהִי It became |
Dust | Gnats on man and beast |
Hebrew Sentence Building
Rather than long descriptive sentences, Hebrew narrates in sharp, linked actions. Notice how עֲפַר (“dust”) is the subject that undergoes transformation: “it (the dust) became gnats.” This is an important reminder that verbs agree with the subject, not the resulting predicate. The repetition of “all the dust of the earth” amplifies the total scope of the plague.
Brick by Brick: Building Hebrew Understanding
In this single verse, you’ve encountered four wayyiqtol verbs, the direct object marker אֶת, possessive suffixes, and even a rare Hebrew noun (כִּנָּם). Step by step, you are learning to hear Hebrew’s storytelling rhythm—short verbs driving the action forward, piling detail on detail. Each verse you study strengthens your foundation in the living language of the Bible!
