Exodus 7:14-25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.(A) 16 Tell him: Yahweh, 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 Yahweh says: Here is how you will know that I am Yahweh. Watch. I will 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(B) over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers, canals,[b] 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.(C) 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 hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 23 Pharaoh turned around, went into his palace, and didn’t even take 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 7:16 Or serve; Ex 4:23
- Exodus 7:19 The Hb word refers specifically to the various branches and canals of the Nile River; Ex 8:5.
Exodus 7:14-25
International Standard Version
Water is Turned into Blood
14 Then the Lord told Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hard. He has refused to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he’s going down to the water. Stand on the bank of the Nile River[a] and meet him. Be sure to take with you[b] the staff that was turned into a snake. 16 Then say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you. He says, “Let my people go so they may serve[c] me in the desert, but until now you haven’t obeyed.”’[d]
17 “‘This is what the Lord says: “This is how you’ll know that I am the Lord: Right now I’m going to strike the water of the Nile River[e] with the staff that’s in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. 18 The fish in the Nile River[f] will die and the river[g] will stink. The Egyptians will be unable[h] to drink water from the Nile River.[i]”’”
19 The Lord also told Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their Nile River[j], over their ponds, and over their reservoirs,[k] and they’ll become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in their[l] wood and stone containers.’”[m]
20 Moses and Aaron did just what the Lord had commanded. Aaron[n] raised his staff and struck the water in the Nile River[o] in front of[p] Pharaoh and his[q] officials,[r] and all the water in the Nile River[s] turned to blood. 21 The fish in the Nile River[t] died and the river[u] stank. The Egyptians were not able to drink water from the Nile River,[v] and blood was throughout the land of Egypt. 22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same thing[w] with their secret arts. Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn,[x] and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. 23 Then Pharaoh turned away, went to his palace, and paid no attention to any of this. 24 All the Egyptians dug around the Nile River[y] for water to drink because they could not drink from the water in the Nile River.[z]
The Plague of Frogs
25 Seven days after[aa] the Lord had struck the Nile River,[ab]
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- Exodus 7:15 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:15 Lit. in your hand
- Exodus 7:16 Or worship
- Exodus 7:16 Or listened
- Exodus 7:17 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:18 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:18 Or the Nile
- Exodus 7:18 Or weary themselves
- Exodus 7:18 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:19 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:19 Lit. every collection of their waters
- Exodus 7:19 The Heb. lacks their
- Exodus 7:19 The Heb. lacks containers
- Exodus 7:20 Lit. He
- Exodus 7:20 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:20 Lit. before the eyes of
- Exodus 7:20 Lit. before the eyes of his
- Exodus 7:20 Or servants
- Exodus 7:20 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:21 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:21 Or the Nile
- Exodus 7:21 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:22 Lit. did thus
- Exodus 7:22 Lit. strong
- Exodus 7:24 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:24 The Heb. lacks River
- Exodus 7:25 Lit. days were filled after
- Exodus 7:25 The Heb. lacks River
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