And I will make the land of Gessen wonderful in that day, so that flies shall not be there: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה לֹ֤א נָכוֹן֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת כֵּ֔ן כִּ֚י תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם נִזְבַּ֖ח לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ הֵ֣ן נִזְבַּ֞ח אֶת־תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֛יִם לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ׃
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The region of Gessem, where the Israelites resided, experienced affliction comparable to that of Egypt, enduring the plagues of water turning into blood, frogs, and gnats. To distinguish between the two areas, God introduced another plague, the swarms of flies. While He allowed the flies to plague Egypt, He chose to spare the land of Gessem.
“I will distinguish the land of Gessem.” This marks the first instance where Gessem is set apart from Egypt, signifying a territory that the Egyptians are prompted to recognize as safeguarded by the awe-inspiring God of Israel, who inflicts judgment upon Egypt due to its injustices toward Israel. It must have made a profound impression on Pharaoh, leading him to acknowledge in his heart that “Jehovah is God over the earth.” Pharaoh understands that the Sovereign of all creation is not the local deities worshipped in Egypt, but rather the One who disciplines and bestows grace, holding power over the diverse forces of nature that the Egyptians idolized.
In the esoteric teachings of Egyptian priests, particularly in the ancient texts from the 11th and XII dynasties (refer to the Book of the Dead), there seemed to be an expression of the pure monotheistic doctrine, albeit veiled in allegories and symbols to obscure understanding from the masses. However, during the XV dynasty and possibly influenced by Turanian ideologies, this concept seems to have diminished. If the priests maintained it, it was likely in a manner reminiscent of the philosophical schools of Greece and Sicily, shrouded in a grave secrecy and unshared with others.
It is noteworthy that the enlightened Pharaohs of the XII dynasty, who were blessed by Patriarch Jacob, seemingly aligned themselves more closely with the class of sages and high priests, likely recognizing the One true God. The very acknowledgment of Joseph as a wise man serves as evidence of this (see Genesis 41 and the concluding chapter).
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS