Exodus 7: Aaron's rod and the river of blood
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Yahweh makes Moses "as God" to Pharaoh, says he will harden Pharaoh's heart, and says Egypt will know he is Yahweh when he brings Israel out. Aaron's rod becomes a serpent that swallows the magicians' rods, but Pharaoh's heart is hard. Moses and Aaron do as Yahweh commands, all the water in the river turns to blood, and the magicians do the same.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 12 of the 25 verses: his words to Moses and Aaron, and the message he tells Moses to give Pharaoh. Pharaoh does not speak in this chapter. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
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2You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.God speaks
In plain English: You will speak everything I command you, and your brother Aaron will tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land.
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3I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.God speaks
In plain English: I will harden (or: make stubborn) Pharaoh's heart, and I will multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.
The Hebrew word: "Harden" here is qashah, which means to be hard or tough. It is a different word from the one in .
How it is translated: In its 28 verses this Bible says "harden" in about 1 in 3 and "stiff" in about 3 in 10. In Exodus the word is used in only 2 verses: this one and , where Pharaoh "stubbornly refused".
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4But Pharaoh will not listen to you, so I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring out my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.God speaks
In plain English: Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my armies, my people the Israelites, out of the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment.
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5The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring the children of Israel out from among them.”God speaks
In plain English: The Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I stretch out my hand over Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them."
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6Moses and Aaron did so. As Yahweh commanded them, so they did.
In plain English: Moses and Aaron did this. They did just as Yahweh commanded them.
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7Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
In plain English: Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Good to know: Exodus does not give Moses' age before this. says he was forty when he went out to his brothers, and says forty years later an angel appeared to him in the bush.
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8Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron and said,
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9“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Perform a miracle!’ then you shall tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent.’”God speaks
In plain English: "When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a wonder (a miracle)!' tell Aaron, 'Take your rod and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent.'"
The Hebrew word: "Serpent" is tannin, a different word from the nachash in . uses nachash again for what Aaron's rod became.
How it is translated: In its 26 verses this Bible says "jackal" in half, "serpent" in 6, and "monster" in 5. In it is the great sea creatures.
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10Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as Yahweh had commanded. Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
In plain English: Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and did as Yahweh had commanded. Aaron threw down his rod in front of Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent.
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11Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments.
In plain English: Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. The magicians of Egypt also did the same thing with their secret arts.
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12For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
In plain English: Each of them threw down his rod, and the rods became serpents. But Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
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13Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.
In plain English: Pharaoh's heart was hard (or: strong), and he did not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as Yahweh had said.
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14Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn (literally: heavy). He refuses to let the people go.
The Hebrew word: "Stubborn" is kaved, which means heavy. The Hebrew says Pharaoh's heart "is heavy".
How it is translated: In the 11 verses of Exodus that use kaved, this Bible says "heavy" in 2 and "stubborn" only here. The rest use other words.
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15Go 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.God speaks
In plain English: Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he is going out to the water. Stand by the bank of the river to meet him, and take in your hand the rod that turned into a serpent.
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16You 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.”God speaks
In plain English: You will tell him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say, "Let my people go, so that they may serve me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened."
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17Yahweh 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.God speaks
In plain English: This is what Yahweh says: "By this you will know that I am Yahweh. I will strike the water in the river with the rod in my hand, and it will turn to blood.
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18The fish that are in the river will die and the river will become foul. The Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the river.”’”God speaks
In plain English: The fish in the river will die, the river will smell bad, and the Egyptians will not want to drink water from it."'"
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19Yahweh 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.’”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt: over its rivers, streams, pools, and all its ponds. They will become blood. There will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in the wooden and stone containers.'"
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20Moses 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.
In plain English: Moses and Aaron did just as Yahweh commanded. He lifted up the rod and struck the water in the river in front of Pharaoh and his servants, and all the water in the river turned to blood.
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21The 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.
In plain English: The fish in the river died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. There was blood throughout the land of Egypt.
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22The 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.
In plain English: But the magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart was hard (or: strong), and he did not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as Yahweh had said.
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23Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he didn’t even take this to heart.
In plain English: Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not even take this to heart.
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24All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink; for they couldn’t drink the river water.
In plain English: All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the river water.
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25Seven days were fulfilled, after Yahweh had struck the river.
In plain English: Seven days passed after Yahweh struck the river.
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