Exodus
Summary
Exodus 7 marks the beginning of the great contest between the LORD and the gods of Egypt. After Aaron’s staff swallowed the staffs of the Egyptian magicians (proving the superiority of divine authority), the first of the ten plagues was unleashed. By striking the Nile—worshipped as the source of life—the LORD turned its waters into blood, rendering it loathsome and undrinkable. For seven days, the river became a symbol of judgement, yet Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. This initial sign demonstrated God's absolute sovereignty over the lifeblood of Egypt, exposing the impotence of the Egyptian pantheon before the Creator.
the LORD said to Moses, "[1] (I have made you a god to Pharaoh), and your brother Aaron will be your prophet."
"You must say everything I command you, and Aaron will repeat it to Pharaoh, demanding that he let the Israelites leave his land."
"But I will [2] (make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn), and I will perform many miraculous signs and wonders throughout Egypt."
"Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you, so I will strike Egypt with my powerful hand. I will lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt with great acts of justice."
"When I reach out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out, the Egyptians will finally know that I am the LORD."
Moses and Aaron did exactly what the LORD commanded them to do.
Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
"When Pharaoh asks you to prove yourselves by performing a miracle, tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh.' It will then turn into a snake."
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did exactly what the LORD had said. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake.
They each threw down their own staffs, and their staffs also turned into snakes. However, Aaron’s staff swallowed up all of theirs!
But just as the LORD had predicted, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn and he refused to listen to them.
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh’s heart is hard. He still refuses to let the people go."
"Go to Pharaoh in the morning when he goes down to the river. Wait for him at the bank of the Nile. Take the staff that turned into a snake with you."
"Say to him, 'the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert. But up until now, you have refused to listen.'"
"This is what the LORD says: By this miracle, you will know that I am the LORD. I am going to strike the water of the Nile with this staff, and the water will turn into blood [5]."
"The fish in the river will die, and the water will stink so much that the Egyptians will hate to drink from it."
the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and reach out your hand over all the waters of Egypt, over the streams, canals, ponds, and all the reservoirs.' The water will turn into blood, and there will be blood everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden and stone containers in people's houses."
Moses and Aaron did what the LORD commanded. In front of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile. All the water in the river turned into blood!
The fish in the river died, and the water smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink it. There was blood throughout the entire land of Egypt.
But the Egyptian magicians used their secret arts to do the same thing. Because of this, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
Pharaoh turned and went back to his palace, not even bothered by what had happened.
All the Egyptians had to dig wells along the banks of the Nile to find water to drink, because the river water was undrinkable.
Seven days passed after the LORD struck the Nile.