Exodus 7:21

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the fish {H1710} that was in the river {H2975} died {H4191}; and the river {H2975} stank {H887}, and the Egyptians {H4714} could {H3201} not drink {H8354} of the water {H4325} of the river {H2975}; and there was blood {H1818} throughout all the land {H776} of Egypt {H4714}.

Complete Jewish Bible

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.

Berean Standard Bible

The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.

American Standard Version

And the fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Exodus 7:21 vividly portrays the immediate and catastrophic consequences of the first plague, where the life-sustaining Nile River and all connected waters were supernaturally transformed into blood. This divine judgment resulted in the widespread death of fish, an unbearable stench that permeated the air, and rendered the water entirely undrinkable for all Egyptians, plunging the nation into a profound crisis of sustenance and public health.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a pivotal moment within the opening narrative of the ten plagues, which serve as God's escalating judgments against Pharaoh and Egypt. Following Pharaoh's initial defiance and the demonstration of Aaron's staff turning into a serpent in [Exodus 7:10-13](/exodus/7-10-13 "Aaron's Staff Becomes a Serpent"), God instructs Moses and Aaron to initiate the first plague. [Exodus 7:19](/exodus/7-19 "God commands the first plague") sets the stage by commanding Aaron to stretch his hand over the waters of Egypt, and [Exodus 7:20](/exodus/7-20 "The water turns to blood") describes the immediate transformation. Verse 21 then details the devastating effects, leading directly into the Egyptians' desperate search for water in [Exodus 7:24](/exodus/7-24 "Egyptians digging for water") and the seven-day duration of the plague in [Exodus 7:25](/exodus/7-25 "Duration of the first plague"). This sequence highlights the direct cause-and-effect of God's judgment.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Nile River was the absolute lifeblood of ancient Egypt, sustaining its agriculture, transportation, and daily existence. Beyond its practical utility, the Nile was deeply revered and deified in Egyptian religion, associated with gods like Hapi (the god of the Nile's annual inundation, bringing fertility) and Khnum (the ram-headed god who guarded the Nile's source). The fish of the Nile were a primary food source for the populace. Therefore, transforming the Nile into blood was not merely an economic or environmental disaster; it was a direct, profound assault on the very foundation of Egyptian society, their religious beliefs, and their gods. This plague directly challenged Pharaoh's authority and the perceived power of his deities, demonstrating the absolute supremacy of Yahweh.

* **Key Themes:** Exodus 7:21 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Exodus. Primarily, it underscores the theme of **Divine Sovereignty and Judgment**, showcasing God's absolute control over creation and His power to execute precise, targeted judgments against those who defy Him. It also highlights the **Confrontation with Idolatry**, as God directly attacks the objects of Egyptian worship, revealing the impotence of their gods in the face of His omnipotence, a theme reiterated throughout the plagues (e.g., the plague on frogs challenging Heqet, the frog goddess, in [Exodus 8:1-6](/exodus/8-1-6 "The Plague of Frogs")). Furthermore, the verse illustrates the **Consequences of Disobedience**, as Pharaoh's hardened heart and refusal to release Israel directly provoke God's escalating wrath, a pattern established early in the narrative (e.g., [Exodus 7:3](/exodus/7-3 "Pharaoh's hardened heart")). Finally, it serves as a testament to **God's Deliverance and Faithfulness** to His covenant people, assuring Israel that He is actively working to free them from bondage.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **fish (Hebrew, _dâgâh'_):** From H1710, this feminine noun refers to "a fish (often used collectively)." The immediate death of the fish signifies the complete biological collapse of the river's ecosystem. As a primary food source for the Egyptians, their demise represented an immediate and tangible economic and nutritional crisis, demonstrating the plague's direct impact on daily life and sustenance.
* **died (Hebrew, _mûwth'_):** From H4191, this primitive root means "to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill." The use of this verb here emphasizes the literal cessation of life for the fish, indicating a profound and irreversible ecological disaster. It highlights the severity of God's judgment, bringing death where there was life, and transforming a source of sustenance into a source of decay.
* **stank (Hebrew, _bâʼash'_):** From H887, this primitive root means "to smell bad; figuratively, to be offensive morally." The river not only became visually horrifying but also olfactorily unbearable. This detail underscores the comprehensive nature of the plague, affecting all senses and making the environment truly loathsome. The stench would have been a constant, inescapable reminder of God's judgment, rendering the entire region unpleasant and uninhabitable.
* **blood (Hebrew, _dâm'_):** From H1818, this noun refers to "blood (as that which when shed causes death)." The transformation of water into blood is the central miracle of this plague. Blood, often associated with life (Leviticus 17:11) but also with death and judgment (Genesis 4:10), here signifies the corruption and defilement of Egypt's life source. It is a powerful symbol of divine wrath and the undoing of creation's order.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the fish that [was] in the river died":** This opening clause immediately establishes the devastating biological impact of the plague. The Nile, teeming with life and a vital food source, became a graveyard for its aquatic inhabitants. This death was not incidental but a direct consequence of the water's transformation, signaling the complete disruption of the natural order and the beginning of widespread ecological and economic distress.
* **"and the river stank":** This clause emphasizes the sensory horror and public health crisis caused by the plague. The decomposition of countless dead fish, combined with the putrefaction of the blood-water, would have created an unbearable stench that permeated the air throughout the land. This foul odor made life miserable and served as a constant, inescapable reminder of God's judgment, rendering the environment hostile and defiling.
* **"and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river":** This highlights the direct human suffering and practical impossibility of survival. The Nile was the sole primary source of drinking water for the vast majority of Egyptians. With its water turned to blood and emitting a terrible stench, it became utterly undrinkable, forcing the populace into immediate and desperate measures to find alternative water sources, as later described in [Exodus 7:24](/exodus/7-24 "Egyptians digging for water"). This detail underscores the direct impact on human life and the severity of God's assault on Egypt's most vital resource.
* **"and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt":** This final, sweeping statement emphasizes the pervasive and inescapable nature of the plague. It was not confined to the main channel of the Nile but extended to all connected bodies of water—canals, ponds, reservoirs, and possibly even water stored in vessels. This signifies a comprehensive, nation-wide judgment, demonstrating that no part of Egypt was immune to God's wrath and that their entire water system, from source to consumption, was defiled and rendered useless.

#### Literary Devices
Exodus 7:21 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the impact of the first plague. **Hyperbole** is evident in the phrase "blood throughout all the land of Egypt," which, while indicating widespread effect, emphasizes the plague's pervasive and inescapable nature beyond literal interpretation of every drop of water turning to blood. The transformation of the Nile is a profound act of **Symbolism**, where the life-giving river, revered as a deity, becomes a symbol of death and divine judgment, directly challenging the Egyptian pantheon and Pharaoh's supposed divine authority. The entire narrative of the plagues, beginning with this one, functions as a form of **Dramatic Irony**, as Pharaoh's initial defiance and hardening of his heart (e.g., [Exodus 7:3](/exodus/7-3 "Pharaoh's hardened heart")) only lead to greater suffering for his people and ultimately to his own humiliation, fulfilling God's declared purpose. The vivid, sensory descriptions of dying fish and the pervasive stench create a strong sense of **Sensory Imagery**, immersing the reader in the horrific reality of the plague and underscoring its immediate and overwhelming impact on daily life.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 7:21 is a profound theological statement, demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His power to execute precise, devastating judgment. It unequivocally declares the supremacy of Yahweh over all false gods and human rulers, directly confronting the idolatry of Egypt by striking at the very heart of their religious and economic life—the Nile River. This act serves as a stark warning of the severe consequences of defying divine will and highlights God's unwavering commitment to delivering His people from oppression. The plague's immediate and comprehensive suffering—the stench, the death, the undrinkable water—underscores the futility of relying on worldly power or false deities when faced with the true God's wrath.

* [Psalm 105:29](/psalms/105-29 "The Lord turned their waters into blood")
* [Revelation 16:3-6](/revelation/16-3-6 "The Second Bowl: Sea Becomes Blood")
* [Ezekiel 29:3-5](/ezekiel/29-3-5 "Prophecy Against Pharaoh and Egypt")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 7:21 serves as a profound and enduring reminder that God remains actively involved in the world, exercising ultimate authority over all creation. This narrative powerfully illustrates the severe consequences of defying divine will and the utter futility of relying on false gods or worldly power in opposition to the Almighty. For believers, this account reinforces our faith in a God who is mighty to save and who will ultimately deliver His people from all forms of oppression, whether physical, spiritual, or systemic. It encourages us to trust in God's sovereign power and perfect justice, knowing that His purposes will ultimately prevail, just as He demonstrated His might over the formidable Egyptian empire to deliver Israel, His chosen people, to their promised land. This passage calls us to examine where we might be placing our trust—in earthly resources, human strength, or false idols—rather than in the one true God who controls all things.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What modern "Niles" or sources of security do we sometimes rely on more than God, and how might God challenge those dependencies?**
* **How does the swiftness and severity of this plague inform our understanding of God's justice and His patience with human rebellion?**
* **In what ways does this narrative encourage us to trust in God's power to deliver us from our own forms of spiritual or practical "bondage"?**

### FAQ
**Was the blood in the Nile literal or symbolic?**

Answer: The Hebrew word *dam* (דָּם) for "blood," combined with the detailed descriptions of dead fish, an unbearable stench, and the water being undrinkable, strongly indicates a literal transformation of the water into actual blood. This was not merely a reddish discoloration or a symbolic representation, but a miraculous and complete change of the water's nature. This literal transformation demonstrated God's direct, supernatural intervention and His absolute power over creation, making the plague a tangible and horrifying reality for the Egyptians.

**How did the Egyptians survive without water if all water turned to blood?**

Answer: While [Exodus 7:21](/exodus/7-21 "The First Plague: Water to Blood") states there was "blood throughout all the land of Egypt," implying widespread effect, [Exodus 7:24](/exodus/7-24 "Egyptians digging for water") clarifies that the Egyptians dug around the Nile for drinking water. This suggests that ground water or newly dug wells, which were not directly connected to the Nile's surface flow, were not affected in the same way, or at least provided a temporary, albeit difficult, alternative. This indicates that the plague primarily affected surface water directly connected to the Nile system, though it was still a catastrophic blow to their primary and most accessible water source, forcing them to arduous and desperate measures for survival.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Exodus 7:21 details a judgment of death and corruption, it paradoxically foreshadows Christ's ultimate work of salvation and new life. The turning of life-giving water into blood, a symbol of divine wrath and the consequences of sin, points to the profound reality that true cleansing and life come not from earthly sources but through the shedding of Christ's own blood. Just as God delivered Israel from bondage through powerful acts, Christ delivers humanity from the bondage of sin and death, offering the "living water" to those who thirst, as He declared to the Samaritan woman in [John 4:10-14](/john/4-10-14 "Jesus offers living water"). His sacrifice on the cross, where His blood was poured out, is the ultimate fulfillment of God's power to judge evil and to redeem His people, transforming the curse of sin into the blessing of eternal life (e.g., [Hebrews 9:22](/hebrews/9-22 "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness")). He is the true Lamb of God, whose blood cleanses us from all sin (e.g., [1 John 1:7](/1_john/1-7 "The blood of Jesus cleanses us")), offering a fountain of life that never runs dry, unlike the defiled waters of the Nile (e.g., [Revelation 22:1](/revelation/22-1 "The river of the water of life")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Exodus 7:18

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.

Revelation 8:9

And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.