亞倫和摩西面見法老

耶和華對摩西說:「我要使你在法老面前像上帝一樣,你哥哥亞倫是你的發言人。 你要把我吩咐你的話告訴你哥哥亞倫,由他要求法老讓以色列人離開埃及。 可是,我要使法老的心剛硬,雖然我在埃及行許多神蹟奇事, 他將無動於衷。那時,我必伸手重重地懲罰埃及,然後領我的大隊子民離開埃及。 埃及人看見我伸手攻擊他們、把以色列人帶出埃及,就會知道我是耶和華。」 摩西和亞倫便遵命而行。 去見法老的時候,摩西八十歲,亞倫八十三歲。

耶和華對摩西和亞倫說: 「倘若法老要你們行神蹟給他看,你就吩咐亞倫把手杖丟在法老面前,使杖變作蛇。」

10 摩西和亞倫照耶和華的吩咐來到法老面前。亞倫把手杖丟在法老和他的臣僕面前,杖就變作蛇。 11 法老召他的謀士和巫師前來,這些人是埃及的術士,他們也用邪術如法炮製。 12 各人將自己的手杖扔在地上,杖就變作蛇,但亞倫的杖吞噬了他們的杖。 13 法老卻仍然硬著心,不肯聽從摩西和亞倫,正如耶和華所言。

水變血之災

14 耶和華對摩西說:「法老非常頑固,不肯釋放百姓。 15 明天早晨,法老會去尼羅河邊,你就在那裡等他,要拿著曾變成蛇的手杖。 16 你要對他說,『希伯來人的上帝耶和華差遣我來告訴你,要讓祂的子民到曠野去事奉祂,但到如今你還是不肯。 17 所以祂說要用手杖擊打尼羅河水,使河水變成血,好叫你知道祂是耶和華。 18 河裡的魚會死,河水會發臭,埃及人不能再喝尼羅河的水。』」

19 耶和華對摩西說:「你告訴亞倫,讓他向埃及境內的各江河、溪流、池塘伸杖,使水變成血。埃及境內,包括木桶和石缸裡將到處是血。」 20 摩西和亞倫就按著耶和華所吩咐的去做,亞倫在法老和埃及眾臣僕面前舉杖擊打尼羅河水,河水都變成了血。 21 河裡的魚都死了,河水臭得不能飲用。埃及遍地都是血。 22 可是,法老的巫師也一樣用邪術使水變成血。法老的心仍然剛硬,不肯聽從摩西和亞倫的話,正如耶和華所言。 23 法老若無其事地轉身回宮去了。 24 因為河水不能飲用,埃及人就在尼羅河兩岸掘井取水飲用。

25 擊打河水後,七天過去了。

耶和華對摩西說:“看哪,我使你在法老面前好像 神一樣;你哥哥亞倫要作你的先知。 我吩咐你的一切,你都要說;你哥哥亞倫要告訴法老,法老就讓以色列人離開他的地。 我要使法老心硬,我也要在埃及地加增我的神蹟奇事。 可是法老不聽你們的話,我必下手擊打埃及;藉著嚴厲的刑罰把我的軍隊,我的人民以色列人,從埃及地領出來。 我向埃及伸手,把以色列人從他們中間領出來的時候,埃及人就必知道我是耶和華。” 摩西和亞倫這樣行了;耶和華怎樣吩咐摩西和亞倫,他們就照樣行了。 摩西和亞倫與法老說話的時候,摩西八十歲,亞倫八十三歲。

以杖變蛇

耶和華告訴摩西和亞倫說: “如果法老告訴你們說:‘你們行件奇事吧’,你就要對亞倫說:‘拿你的手杖來,把它丟在法老面前,它就會變作蛇。’” 10 摩西和亞倫就進到法老那裡,照著耶和華吩咐他們的行了;亞倫把手杖丟在法老和法老的臣僕面前,手杖就變了蛇。 11 於是,法老也把智慧人和行法術的人召了來;他們本是埃及的術士,也用他們的巫術照樣行了。 12 他們各人都丟下自己的手杖,手杖就變了蛇;亞倫的手杖卻吞了他們的手杖。 13 法老心裡剛硬,不肯聽他們的話,就像耶和華所說的一樣。

血災

14 耶和華對摩西說:“法老心裡固執,拒絕讓人民離去。 15 明天早晨你要到法老那裡去。看哪,法老出來到水邊去的時候,你要站在河邊迎見他;那變過蛇的手杖,你要拿在手裡。 16 你要對法老說:‘耶和華希伯來人的 神差我到你這裡來,說:“讓我的人民離開這裡,好使他們可以在曠野事奉我”,你看,直到現在你還是不聽。 17 耶和華這樣說:“看哪,我要用我手裡的杖擊打河中的水,水就必變成血;因此你就知道我是耶和華。 18 河中的魚必死亡,河水也必發臭,埃及人就必厭惡喝這河裡的水。”’” 19 耶和華對摩西說:“你要對亞倫說:‘拿你的手杖來,把你的手伸在埃及的眾水之上,就是在他們的江、河、池和所有水塘之上,使水都變成血。因此,在埃及全地,連木器石器中都必有血。’”

20 摩西和亞倫就這樣行了,就像耶和華所吩咐的;亞倫在法老面前和法老的臣僕面前舉起手杖,擊打河裡的水,河裡的水就都變了血。 21 河裡的魚死了,河水發臭了,埃及人也不能喝這河裡的水了;在埃及,全地都有血。 22 埃及的術士也用他們的巫術這樣行了;可是法老卻心裡剛硬,不肯聽摩西和亞倫,就像耶和華所說的。 23 法老轉身回到宮裡去,也不把這事放在心上。 24 所有的埃及人都在河的周圍掘地,要得水喝,因為他們不能喝這河裡的水。

25 耶和華擊打尼羅河以後,滿了七天。

The Lord answered Moses, ‘See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother will be your prophet. You must say whatever I command you; then Aaron your brother must declare it to Pharaoh so that he will let the Israelites go from his land. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart(A) and multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh will not listen to you, but I will put my hand into Egypt and bring the military divisions of my people the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgement. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord(B) when I stretch out my hand(C) against Egypt and bring out the Israelites from among them.’

So Moses and Aaron did this; they did just as the Lord commanded them. Moses was eighty years old(D) and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘When Pharaoh tells you, “Perform a miracle,” tell Aaron, “Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh. It will become a serpent.” ’(E) 10 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent. 11 But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers – the magicians(F) of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices.(G) 12 Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs. 13 However, Pharaoh’s heart was hard,(H) and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh’s heart is hard: He refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning. When you see him walking out to the water, stand ready to meet him by the bank of the Nile. Take in your hand the staff that turned into a snake.(I) 16 Tell him: The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you: Let my people go, so that they may worship[a] me in the wilderness. But so far you have not listened. 17 This is what the Lord says: Here is how you will know that I am the Lord. Watch. I am about to strike the water in the Nile with the staff in my hand, and it will turn to blood. 18 The fish in the Nile will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from it.’

19 So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron: Take your staff and stretch out your hand(J) over the waters of Egypt – over their rivers, canals, ponds, and all their water reservoirs – and they will become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in wooden and stone containers.’

20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded; in the sight of Pharaoh and his officials, he raised the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile was turned to blood.(K) 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad the Egyptians could not drink water from it. There was blood throughout the land of Egypt.

22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same thing by their occult practices. So Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 23 Pharaoh turned around, went into his palace, and didn’t take even this to heart. 24 All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink because they could not drink the water from the river. 25 Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.

Footnotes

  1. 7:16 Or serve; Ex 4:23

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God(A) to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.(B) You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,(C) and though I multiply my signs and wonders(D) in Egypt, he will not listen(E) to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment(F) I will bring out my divisions,(G) my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord(H) when I stretch out my hand(I) against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”

Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded(J) them. Moses was eighty years old(K) and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Snake

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,(L)’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.”(M)

10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers,(N) and the Egyptian magicians(O) also did the same things by their secret arts:(P) 12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart(Q) became hard and he would not listen(R) to them, just as the Lord had said.

The Plague of Blood

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding;(S) he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the river.(T) Confront him on the bank of the Nile,(U) and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. 16 Then say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship(V) me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened.(W) 17 This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord:(X) With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood.(Y) 18 The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink;(Z) the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.’”(AA)

19 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff(AB) and stretch out your hand(AC) over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels[a] of wood and stone.”

20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded.(AD) He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile,(AE) and all the water was changed into blood.(AF) 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.

22 But the Egyptian magicians(AG) did the same things by their secret arts,(AH) and Pharaoh’s heart(AI) became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. 23 Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water(AJ), because they could not drink the water of the river.

The Plague of Frogs

25 Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 7:19 Or even on their idols