gnat

A nonspecific term referring to gnats, lice, mosquitoes, or sand flies. It probably includes all such blood-sucking, two-winged insects. In (Exod 8:16-18) gnats are the third plague upon the Egyptians. In (Matt 23:24) scribes and Pharisees are charged with straining out the gnat and swallowing the camel, that is, paying close scrutiny to details of certain requirements while neglecting the ethical demands of justice, mercy, and faith.