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
The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. ​
2
You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
3
I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. ​
4
But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring out my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. ​
5
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” ​
6
Moses and Aaron did so. As the LORD commanded them, so they did.
7
Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh. ​

The Sign of the Rod

8
The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
9
“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Perform a miracle!’ then you shall tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.’”
10
Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments. ​
12
For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. ​
13
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as the LORD had spoken. ​

The First Plague: Water Turns to Blood

14
The LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go. ​
15
Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand. ​
16
You shall tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness:” and behold, until now you haven’t listened.
17
Thus says the LORD, “In this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. ​
18
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.”’”
19
The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’” ​
20
Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
21
The fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.
22
The magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as the LORD had spoken. ​
23
Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he didn’t even take this to heart.
24
All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink; for they couldn’t drink of the water of the river.
25
Seven days were fulfilled, after the LORD 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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