King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour [it] upon the dry [land]: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry [land].
Complete Jewish Bible:
But if they aren't persuaded even by both these signs and still won't listen to what you say, then take some water from the river, and pour it on the ground. The water you take from the river will turn into blood on the dry land."
Berean Standard Bible:
But if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. Then the water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground.”
American Standard Version:
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe{H539} also these two{H8147} signs{H226}, neither hearken{H8085} unto thy voice{H6963}, that thou shalt take{H3947} of the water{H4325} of the river{H2975}, and pour{H8210} it upon the dry{H3004} land: and the water{H4325} which thou takest{H3947} out of the river{H2975} shall become blood{H1818} upon the dry{H3006} land.
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 7:19
- And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and [that] there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in [vessels of] wood, and in [vessels of] stone.
Exodus 7:25
- And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
Exodus 1:22
- And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
Matthew 7:2
- For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Exodus 4:9
1. **Themes:**
- **God's Power and Authority:** The verse emphasizes that God has the power to perform miracles, in this case, turning water into blood, to demonstrate His authority and to authenticate Moses' role as His messenger.
- **Divine Signs:** The signs are given to Moses to confirm the divine origin of his mission to the Israelites and to Pharaoh, showing that he speaks with God's backing.
- **Unbelief and Hardness of Heart:** The verse also touches on the theme of disbelief and the hardening of hearts, as it anticipates the possibility that the people might not believe despite witnessing miraculous signs.
2. **Historical Context:**
- **The Exodus Narrative:** Exodus 4:9 is part of the larger narrative of the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Moses, having been raised in Pharaoh's court but now a fugitive, is being commissioned by God to lead His people out of Egypt.
- **Moses' Reluctance:** At this point in the story, Moses is hesitant and feels inadequate for the task. He questions his ability to convince the Israelites and Pharaoh of God's intentions.
- **The Role of Miraculous Signs:** In response to Moses' concerns, God provides him with three signs to perform: his rod turning into a snake, his hand becoming leprous, and the water turning into blood. These signs are meant to validate his mission and to serve as a precursor to the plagues that will later afflict Egypt.
- **Egyptian Deities:** The transformation of water into blood is particularly significant as it is an affront to the Egyptians, whose lifeblood was the Nile River, and whose religion revered the Nile and its deities.
In summary, Exodus 4:9 reflects the themes of divine power, the use of miraculous signs to confirm a divine message, and the challenge of overcoming disbelief. It occurs within the historical context of God's preparation of Moses to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, using signs that undermine the Egyptians' religious beliefs and demonstrate God's supremacy.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H539
There are 176 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַן
Transliteration: ʼâman
Pronunciation: aw-man'
Description: a primitive root; (Isaiah 30:21; interchangeable with אָמַן, to go to the right hand); properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain; hence, assurance, believe, bring up, establish, [phrase] fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right. - Strong's Number: H8147
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁנַיִם
Transliteration: shᵉnayim
Pronunciation: shen-ah'-yim
Description: dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two. - Strong's Number: H226
There are 140 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אוֹת
Transliteration: ʼôwth
Pronunciation: oth
Description: probably from אוּת (in the sense of appearing); a signal (literally or figuratively), as aflag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.; mark, miracle, (en-) sign, token. - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H6963
There are 436 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קוֹל
Transliteration: qôwl
Pronunciation: kole
Description: or קֹל; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound; [phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase] out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, [phrase] hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, [phrase] sing, sound, [phrase] spark, thunder(-ing), voice, [phrase] yell. - Strong's Number: H3947
There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָקַח
Transliteration: lâqach
Pronunciation: law-kakh'
Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. - Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). - Strong's Number: H2975
There are 48 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְאֹר
Transliteration: yᵉʼôr
Pronunciation: yeh-ore'
Description: of Egyptian origin; a channel, e.g. a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the Nile, as the one river of Egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the Tigris, as the main river of Assyria; brook, flood, river, stream. - Strong's Number: H8210
There are 111 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁפַךְ
Transliteration: shâphak
Pronunciation: shaw-fak'
Description: a primitive root; to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc.); intensively, to sprawl out; cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der, out), slip. - Strong's Number: H3004
There are 14 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יַבָּשָׁה
Transliteration: yabbâshâh
Pronunciation: yab-baw-shaw'
Description: from יָבֵשׁ; dry ground; dry (ground, land). - Strong's Number: H1818
There are 295 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּם
Transliteration: dâm
Pronunciation: dawm
Description: from דָּמַם (compare אָדַם); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood); blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), [phrase] innocent. - Strong's Number: H3006
There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יַבֶּשֶׁת
Transliteration: yabbesheth
Pronunciation: yab-beh'-sheth
Description: a variation of יַבָּשָׁה; dry ground; dry land.