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The Torah · Old Testament

Exodus 7

Aaron’s rod and the river turned to blood

General context

The Lord assigns Moses and Aaron their speaking roles before Pharaoh and says that he will harden Pharaoh's heart, multiply signs and bring Israel out through judgments. Moses is eighty and Aaron eighty-three when they speak to the king. The Lord tells them how to answer a request for a sign. Before Pharaoh, Aaron throws down his rod, which becomes a serpent. Egypt's magicians do likewise, but Aaron's rod swallows their rods. Pharaoh does not listen. Moses is then sent to meet him at the river in the morning and demand Israel's release to serve the Lord in the wilderness. The warning announces that the river will become blood, its fish will die and its water will become undrinkable. Moses and Aaron carry out the command, and the river is struck in Pharaoh's sight. Blood spreads through Egypt's waters, fish die and the river stinks. The magicians also turn water to blood, and Pharaoh remains unresponsive. He returns home, while the Egyptians dig around the river for drinking water. The chapter closes seven days after the Lord struck the river.

Cited passages: Exodus 7:1, Exodus 7:2, Exodus 7:3, Exodus 7:4, Exodus 7:5, Exodus 7:6, Exodus 7:7, Exodus 7:8, Exodus 7:9, Exodus 7:10, Exodus 7:11, Exodus 7:12, Exodus 7:13, Exodus 7:14, Exodus 7:15, Exodus 7:16, Exodus 7:17, Exodus 7:18, Exodus 7:19, Exodus 7:20, Exodus 7:21, Exodus 7:22, Exodus 7:23, Exodus 7:24, Exodus 7:25

Exodus 7 (KJV)

1And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

2Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.

3And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

4But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

5And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

6And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they.

7And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

8And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

9When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

10And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

11Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

12For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.

13And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

14And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.

15Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.

16And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

17Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

18And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.

19And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.

20And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote 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.

21And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

22And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.

23And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.

24And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.

25And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The opening describes Moses as 'a god to Pharaoh' in the King James wording and Aaron as his prophet. The following instruction explains their roles in communicating God's commands to the king. The account gives their ages but neither a date nor this Pharaoh's personal name. It distinguishes Aaron's rod from the magicians' rods and reports their actions without explaining the magicians' method. The warning includes streams, rivers, pools and water in wooden and stone vessels. The Egyptians' digging is described as a search for drinking water; the passage does not say whether it succeeds. Its closing seven-day notice marks elapsed time after the river was struck.

Cited passages: Exodus 7:1, Exodus 7:2, Exodus 7:7, Exodus 7:8, Exodus 7:9, Exodus 7:10, Exodus 7:11, Exodus 7:12, Exodus 7:19, Exodus 7:20, Exodus 7:21, Exodus 7:22, Exodus 7:23, Exodus 7:24, Exodus 7:25

Literary context

The chapter moves from instructions about speaking to public signs and a judgment affecting Egypt's water. Aaron's rod swallowing the other rods distinguishes the sign even when the magicians imitate its initial form. Repeated statements that Pharaoh will not listen connect the court scene with the river scene. God's announced purpose is that the Egyptians will know him through the judgments and Israel's departure. The ending places Pharaoh's return to his house beside the Egyptians' search for water, leaving the demand for release unanswered.

Cited passages: Exodus 7:2, Exodus 7:3, Exodus 7:4, Exodus 7:5, Exodus 7:10, Exodus 7:11, Exodus 7:12, Exodus 7:13, Exodus 7:14, Exodus 7:16, Exodus 7:17, Exodus 7:20, Exodus 7:21, Exodus 7:22, Exodus 7:23, Exodus 7:24, Exodus 7:25

Key moments

  1. Moses and Aaron’s ages are given (Exodus 7:7). Moses is eighty and Aaron eighty-three when they speak to Pharaoh.
  2. Aaron’s rod swallows the others (Exodus 7:12). Aaron’s rod swallows the rods of the Egyptian magicians.
  3. The river is struck before Pharaoh (Exodus 7:20). Moses and Aaron carry out the command, and the river water becomes blood in Pharaoh’s sight.
  4. The Egyptians dig for drinking water (Exodus 7:24). The Egyptians dig around the river because they cannot drink its water.

For reflection

What does the closing contrast between Pharaoh's response and the Egyptians' search for water bring into focus?

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