18 The magicians also tried to produce gnats using their magic spells, but they couldn’t do it. The gnats bit people and animals.
19 So the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the hand of God!”Yet, Pharaoh continued to be stubborn and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, as the Lord had predicted.
20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Early in the morning, stand in Pharaoh’s way when he’s going to the Nile. Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go to worship me.
21 If you will not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, your people, and your houses. The homes of the Egyptians will be filled with flies, and even the ground outside will be covered with them.
22 But on that day I will treat the region of Goshen differently. That is where my people live. There won’t be any flies there. This way you will know that I, the Lord, am here in this land.
23 I will distinguish between my people and yours. This miraculous sign will happen tomorrow.’ ”
24 The Lord did what he said. Dense swarms of flies came into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials. All over Egypt the flies were ruining everything.