King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the fish that [is] in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The fish in the river will die, the river will stink and the Egyptians won't want to drink water from the river.'"
Berean Standard Bible:
The fish in the Nile will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink its water.’”
American Standard Version:
And the fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the fish{H1710} that is in the river{H2975} shall die{H4191}, and the river{H2975} shall stink{H887}; and the Egyptians{H4714} shall lothe{H3811} to drink{H8354} of the water{H4325} of the river{H2975}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 7:24
- And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
Exodus 7:21
- And the fish that [was] in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
Numbers 21:5
- And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Numbers 11:20
- [But] even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which [is] among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Exodus 7:18
1. Themes:
- Divine Power and Judgment: The verse highlights God's authority over nature and His ability to manipulate the elements to demonstrate His power and pass judgment, as seen in the plagues of Egypt.
- Faith and Belief: The miraculous events serve to strengthen the faith of the Israelites and challenge the Egyptians' beliefs and gods associated with the Nile.
- Liberation and Sovereignty: The plagues, including the first plague turning the river to blood, are steps in the process of liberating the Israelites from slavery and asserting God's sovereignty over Pharaoh's reign.
2. Historical Context:
- The plagues of Egypt are central to the narrative of the Israelites' exodus from slavery, which is a foundational event in Jewish history and theology.
- The Nile River was vital to ancient Egyptian life, economy, and religion. Turning it to blood would have been a direct affront to the Egyptians' way of life and their gods, particularly Hapi, the god of the Nile.
- This first plague, as described in Exodus 7:18, is part of a series of divine interventions that Moses, as God's messenger, brings upon Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage.
- The timing of this event is set during the New Kingdom period of ancient Egypt, around the 13th century BCE, according to traditional biblical chronology, although the exact historical timing is a subject of scholarly debate.
In summary, Exodus 7:18 is part of the narrative of the ten plagues, showcasing God's power over the Egyptians' gods and environment, setting the stage for the deliverance of the Israelites, and challenging the spiritual and political status quo of the time.
*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: H1710
There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּגָה
Transliteration: dâgâh
Pronunciation: daw-gaw'
Description: feminine of דָּג, and meaning the same; {a fish (often used collectively)}; fish. - 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: H4191
There are 694 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מוּת
Transliteration: mûwth
Pronunciation: mooth
Description: a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise. - Strong's Number: H887
There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּאַשׁ
Transliteration: bâʼash
Pronunciation: baw-ash'
Description: a primitive root; to smell bad; figuratively, to be offensive morally; (make to) be abhorred (had in abomination, loathsome, odious), (cause a, make to) stink(-ing savour), [idiom] utterly. - Strong's Number: H4714
There are 602 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִצְרַיִם
Transliteration: Mitsrayim
Pronunciation: mits-rah'-yim
Description: dual of מָצוֹר; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt; Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim. - Strong's Number: H3811
There are 18 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָאָה
Transliteration: lâʼâh
Pronunciation: law-aw'
Description: a primitive root; to tire; (figuratively) to be (or make) disgusted; faint, grieve, lothe, (be, make) weary (selves). - Strong's Number: H8354
There are 193 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁתָה
Transliteration: shâthâh
Pronunciation: shaw-thaw'
Description: a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively); [idiom] assuredly, banquet, [idiom] certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk ([idiom] -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of שָׁקָה.) - 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)).