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14 Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he is going out to the water. You shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him. You shall take the rod which was turned to a serpent in your hand. 16 You shall tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness. Behold, until now you haven’t listened.” 17 Yahweh says, “In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. 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 will die and the river will become foul. The Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the river.”’” 19 Yahweh 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. There will 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 Yahweh 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. The river became foul. The Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river. The blood was throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 The magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their enchantments. So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh 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 the river water. 25 Seven days were fulfilled, after Yahweh had struck the river.

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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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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 7:15 The Heb. lacks River
  2. Exodus 7:15 Lit. in your hand
  3. Exodus 7:16 Or worship
  4. Exodus 7:16 Or listened
  5. Exodus 7:17 The Heb. lacks River
  6. Exodus 7:18 The Heb. lacks River
  7. Exodus 7:18 Or the Nile
  8. Exodus 7:18 Or weary themselves
  9. Exodus 7:18 The Heb. lacks River
  10. Exodus 7:19 The Heb. lacks River
  11. Exodus 7:19 Lit. every collection of their waters
  12. Exodus 7:19 The Heb. lacks their
  13. Exodus 7:19 The Heb. lacks containers
  14. Exodus 7:20 Lit. He
  15. Exodus 7:20 The Heb. lacks River
  16. Exodus 7:20 Lit. before the eyes of
  17. Exodus 7:20 Lit. before the eyes of his
  18. Exodus 7:20 Or servants
  19. Exodus 7:20 The Heb. lacks River
  20. Exodus 7:21 The Heb. lacks River
  21. Exodus 7:21 Or the Nile
  22. Exodus 7:21 The Heb. lacks River
  23. Exodus 7:22 Lit. did thus
  24. Exodus 7:22 Lit. strong
  25. Exodus 7:24 The Heb. lacks River
  26. Exodus 7:24 The Heb. lacks River
  27. Exodus 7:25 Lit. days were filled after
  28. Exodus 7:25 The Heb. lacks River