God shows his power over Pharaoh and Egypt

7:8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 7:9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Do a miracle,’ and you say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ it will become a snake.” 7:10 When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, they did so, just as the Lord had commanded them – Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants and it became a snake. 7:11 Then Pharaoh also summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the magicians of Egypt by their secret arts did the same thing. 7:12 Each man threw down his staff, and the staffs became snakes. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 7:13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted. The First Blow: Water to Blood 7:14 The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to release the people. 7:15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning when he goes out to the water. Position yourself to meet him by the edge of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. 7:16 Tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say, “Release my people, that they may serve me in the desert!” But until now you have not listened. 7:17 Thus says the Lord: “By this you will know that I am the Lord: I am going to strike the water of the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned into blood. 7:18 Fish in the Nile will die, the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from the Nile.”’” 7:19 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over Egypt’s waters – over their rivers, over their canals, over their ponds, and over all their reservoirs – so that it becomes blood.’ There will be blood everywhere in the land of Egypt, even in wooden and stone containers.” 7:20 Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord had commanded. Moses raised the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile right before the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 7:21 When the fish that were in the Nile died, the Nile began to stink, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood everywhere in the land of Egypt! 7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts, and so Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron – just as the Lord had predicted. 7:23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. He did not pay any attention to this. 7:24 All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the Nile. The Second Blow: Frogs 7:25 Seven full days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

The Lord sends Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh. Aaron’s staff becomes a snake, and Pharaoh’s magicians copy it, but Aaron’s staff swallows theirs. Then the Lord turns the Nile into blood as judgment, showing that he is greater than Pharaoh, Egypt, and their gods. Pharaoh still refuses to listen, and the people suffer because the water is ruined.

Moses and Aaron obey the Lord and stand before Pharaoh. The Lord gives the sign of the staff so Pharaoh will know that the Lord is greater than Egypt’s power. Aaron throws down his staff, and it becomes a snake. The Egyptian magicians do the same, but Aaron’s staff swallows their staffs. Even after this sign, Pharaoh’s heart stays hard.

Then the Lord sends the first plague. Moses meets Pharaoh by the Nile and warns him that the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, commands that his people be released so they may serve him. The Lord says that the Nile will be struck and turned to blood. Moses and Aaron do exactly what the Lord commands. The fish die, the river stinks, and the Egyptians cannot drink its water. The magicians imitate the change again, but Pharaoh still refuses to listen. He goes into his house and ignores what has happened. The Egyptians must dig for water, and seven days pass before the next plague begins.

• The Lord alone is God over Pharaoh, Egypt, and the Nile.
• Moses and Aaron obey the Lord’s command exactly.
• The staff sign shows that Egypt’s power is limited and will be swallowed up.
• The first plague is a judgment from the Lord, not an accident.
• The Lord’s people must be released so they may serve him.
• Pharaoh’s hard heart keeps him from listening even after clear signs.
• The plague brings death, stink, and lack of water to Egypt.

• Command: Moses and Aaron must do just as the Lord says.
• Command: Pharaoh must release the Lord’s people so they may serve him.
• Warning: Repeated refusal hardens Pharaoh’s heart.
• Warning: The Nile will be struck, and the water will become blood.
• Warning: Judgment brings loss, death, and hardship.
• Promise: By this you will know that I am the Lord.

This passage begins the great exodus judgments that lead to Israel’s rescue from Egypt. The Lord is keeping his covenant purpose by judging the oppressor and freeing his people for worship and service. It shows the first public victory of the Lord over Pharaoh and prepares for the rest of the deliverance from Egypt.

We should obey God even when powerful people oppose us. We should not trust outward religious power or clever imitation. Repeated refusal to listen to God is dangerous because it hardens the heart. God saves his people so they may serve him, not only so they may escape trouble.

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