And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.

EXODUS 8:31KJV
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Exodus 8:31 (KJV)

What does Exodus 8:31 mean?

Exodus 8:31 describes how the LORD responded to Moses’ request by removing all the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people, so completely that not a single fly remained. This verse shows a direct answer to Moses’ plea and a total relief from the plague for the Egyptians.

In this setting, Moses had pleaded with the LORD (the God of Israel) on behalf of Pharaoh, who had been suffering from a devastating plague of flies. The verse highlights the LORD’s power to both send and remove plagues, and the thoroughness of the deliverance—every fly was gone, not just most of them. This moment is part of the larger story of the plagues in Egypt, where Moses acts as a mediator between God and Pharaoh.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 8:31

  • LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of the God of Israel, emphasizing that it is Israel’s God who acts in this story, not a generic deity.
  • removed (סוּר, sur): This word means to take away or turn aside. The sense here is of a complete removal, not just a lessening, which matches the statement that not one fly remained.
  • remained (שָׁאַר, sha’ar): This word means to be left over or to remain. The verse uses it to stress the totality of the removal—there was not even a single fly left behind.

Why Exodus 8:31 matters

  • This verse clears up any idea that the plague faded away naturally; it was a direct and immediate act of God in response to Moses’ prayer.
  • The emphasis on “there remained not one” highlights the thoroughness of God’s action, showing His complete control over the situation.
  • Exodus 8:31 connects to the wider narrative by showing Moses’ role as an intercessor and how God’s power is displayed to Pharaoh and all of Egypt.

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.

“remained” Hebrew H7604 · used in 123 verses

  • Genesis 7:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
  • Joshua 13:2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,
  • Nehemiah 1:2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.