And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.

EXODUS 8:29KJV
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Exodus 8:29 (KJV)

What does Exodus 8:29 mean?

Exodus 8:29 records Moses telling Pharaoh that he will leave Pharaoh’s presence and pray to the LORD to remove the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people the next day, but warns Pharaoh not to deceive him again by refusing to let the Israelites go and sacrifice to the LORD. Moses is making it clear that he expects Pharaoh to keep his promise this time.

In this verse, Moses is speaking directly to Pharaoh during the plague of flies. Pharaoh had just asked Moses to pray for the flies to be removed, promising to let the Israelites go. Moses agrees to pray (using the word “intreat” for seeking God’s favor), but he also cautions Pharaoh not to act deceitfully (“deal deceitfully”) as he has before. The verse highlights the tension between Moses’ trust in God’s power and his distrust of Pharaoh’s honesty.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 8:29

  • “Intreat” comes from the Hebrew פָּעַל (athar, H6279), which means to plead or intercede with God. Moses is not just making a casual request, but earnestly seeking God’s intervention.
  • “Deal deceitfully” is from the Hebrew הָתֵל (hathêl, H2048), which often means to act with trickery or to cheat. Moses is directly confronting Pharaoh’s pattern of making promises he does not intend to keep.
  • “Swarms” uses the Hebrew עָרוֹב (‘arov, H6157), which refers to a mixture or swarm, likely of biting insects. This word emphasizes the severity and nuisance of the plague.

Why Exodus 8:29 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Moses is not acting on his own power, but must ask the LORD to remove the plague, showing Moses’ humility and dependence on God.
  • The warning against deceit shows that Pharaoh has a history of breaking his word, and Moses is holding him accountable, which is a recurring theme in the Exodus story.
  • The verse connects to the larger narrative of escalating plagues and broken promises, highlighting the growing conflict between Pharaoh’s stubbornness and God’s demands through Moses.

Where else these words appear

“swarms” Hebrew H6157 · used in 7 verses

  • Exodus 8:21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
  • Exodus 8:24 And the LORD did so; 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.
  • Psalms 78:45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

“deceitfully” Hebrew H2048 · used in 9 verses

  • Genesis 31:7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
  • Judges 16:13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
  • Job 13:9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

“but” Hebrew H7535 · used in 16 verses

  • Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
  • Judges 3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
  • 1 Kings 11:13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

“intreat” Hebrew H6279 · used in 19 verses

  • Genesis 25:21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
  • Exodus 10:17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
  • 2 Chronicles 33:13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.