English · CJB

Exodus7

The LORD empowers Moses as a "god" to Pharaoh, with Aaron as his prophet, and declares His intent to harden Pharaoh's heart to multiply signs and wonders. Moses and Aaron demonstrate God's power by turning Aaron's rod into a serpent, which then swallows the serpents created by Pharaoh's magicians. Despite this, Pharaoh's heart remains hardened, leading to the first plague where all the waters of Egypt are turned to blood, killing fish and making the river undrinkable.

Moses Given Divine Authority Over Pharaoh

1
But ADONAI said to Moshe, "I have put you in the place of God to Pharaoh, and Aharon your brother will be your prophet. ​
2
You are to say everything I order you, and Aharon your brother is to speak to Pharaoh and tell him to let the people of Isra'el leave his land.
3
But I will make him hardhearted. Even though I will increase my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, ​
4
Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my armies, my people the sons of Isra'el, out of the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. ​
5
Then, when I stretch out my hand over Egypt and bring the people of Isra'el out from among them, the Egyptians will know that I am ADONAI." ​
6
Moshe and Aharon did exactly what ADONAI ordered them to do.
7
Moshe was eighty years old and Aharon eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh. ​

The Sign of the Rod

8
ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon,
9
"When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a miracle,' tell Aharon to take his staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh, so that it can become a snake."
10
Moshe and Aharon went in to Pharaoh and did this, as ADONAI had ordered -Aharon threw down his staff in front of Pharaoh and his servants, and it turned into a snake.
11
But Pharaoh in turn called for the sages and sorcerers; and they too, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing, making use of their secret arts. ​
12
Each one threw his staff down, and they turned into snakes. But Aharon's staff swallowed up theirs. ​
13
Nevertheless, Pharaoh was made hardhearted; and he didn't listen to them, as ADONAI had said would happen. ​

The First Plague: Water Turns to Blood

14
ADONAI said to Moshe, "Pharaoh is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go. ​
15
Go to Pharaoh in the morning when he goes out to the water. Stand on the riverbank to confront him, take in your hand the staff which was turned into a snake, ​
16
and say to him, 'ADONAI, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say: "Let my people go, so that they can worship me in the desert." But until now you haven't listened;
17
so ADONAI says, "This will let you know that I am ADONAI": I will take the staff in my hand and strike the water in the river, and it will be turned into blood. ​
18
The fish in the river will die, the river will stink and the Egyptians won't want to drink water from the river.'"
19
ADONAI said to Moshe, "Say to Aharon, 'Take your staff, reach out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, canals, ponds and all their reservoirs, so that they can turn into blood. There will be blood throughout the whole land of Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars.'" ​
20
Moshe and Aharon did exactly what ADONAI had ordered. He raised the staff and, in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, struck the water in the river; and all the water in the river was turned into blood.
21
The fish in the river died, and the river stank so badly that the Egyptians couldn't drink its water. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
22
But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts, so that Pharaoh was made hardhearted and didn't listen to them, as ADONAI had said would happen. ​
23
Pharaoh just turned and went back to his palace, without taking any of this to heart.
24
All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink, because they couldn't drink the river water.
25
Seven days after ADONAI had struck the river, ​

Study Notes for Exodus 7

Verse 1

God elevates Moses' status in relation to Pharaoh, making him the supreme authority figure (a 'god') while Aaron acts as Moses' inspired spokesman ('prophet'). This structure mirrors the typical divine-human relationship in the ancient world.

Verse 3

The hardening of Pharaoh's heart is essential to the divine strategy. God uses Pharaoh’s defiance to multiply the signs, ensuring the display of YHWH’s power is total and undeniable to both Israel and Egypt.

Verse 4

God refers to Israel as 'mine armies' (or 'hosts'). This militaristic language emphasizes that the Exodus is not a negotiation for release, but a divine invasion and organized retrieval of God's property.

Verse 5

The ultimate goal of the plagues is theological: the Egyptians (and the Israelites) must learn that YHWH is the sovereign God, superior to all Egyptian deities and Pharaoh himself.

Verse 7

Moses and Aaron were elderly (80 and 83), indicating that God calls and equips leaders based on His timing and purpose, not necessarily on human standards of typical age or strength.

Verse 11

The Egyptian 'magicians' (likely ritual priests or sorcerers) were experts in occult arts. Their ability to replicate the sign initially strengthens Pharaoh's resolve, suggesting that Moses' power is merely equal to Egyptian magic.

Verse 12

Aaron's rod swallowing the rods of the magicians demonstrates the decisive victory of YHWH's power over all rival supernatural claims. Although the Egyptians could imitate the form, they could not withstand the force.

Verse 13

This is the first time the text states that Pharaoh 'hardened his heart' (the action is attributed to him). While God determined the outcome (v. 3), Pharaoh willingly chose resistance, illustrating the convergence of divine sovereignty and human responsibility.

Verse 14

Pharaoh’s refusal to heed the sign of the rod initiates the cycle of judgment. The plagues are not random acts of destruction but targeted, escalating judgments.

Verse 15

Pharaoh often visited the Nile early, likely for ritualistic bathing or to pay homage to the river god Hapi. God commands Moses to confront him there, striking at the heart of Egyptian religion and life source.

Verse 17

The plague serves as a direct theological challenge. By turning the Nile (a god in Egyptian belief) into blood, YHWH proves His absolute authority over nature and the gods of Egypt.

Verse 19

The command targets all water sources, including streams, canals, and stored water. This ensures the plague is comprehensive, making life unbearable and demonstrating the total scope of YHWH’s control.

Verse 22

The magicians’ ability to replicate the plague on a small scale allowed Pharaoh to rationalize the event as a natural phenomenon or a simple magical contest. This provided him the necessary pretext to maintain his hardened refusal.

Verse 25

The duration of seven days indicates the severity and persistence of the judgment. The cycle of the plagues often involved a period of suffering followed by an opportunity for Pharaoh to relent before the next judgment arrived.

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