God Prepares Moses and Aaron
Study note
God told Moses not to worry about his speaking ability. He would be like a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron would be his prophet, or spokesman. God warned that He would harden Pharaoh's heart so that the king would refuse to listen. This would allow God to perform many signs and wonders, showing both Egypt and Israel His great power. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they first spoke to Pharaoh.
1 The Lord told Moses, "Pay attention — I am making you like God himself in Pharaoh's eyes. And your brother Aaron will serve as your prophet, speaking your words for you." And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2 "You will tell Aaron everything I command. Then Aaron will go to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelites leave his land." Thou 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.
3 "But I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn and resistant. Even though I perform miracle after miracle in Egypt, he will not listen." And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4 "Since Pharaoh will ignore you, I will bring the full force of my power down on Egypt. I will lead my people, the Israelites, out through mighty acts of judgment." But 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.
5 "I will stretch out my hand against Egypt. I will march the Israelites out. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." And 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.
6 Moses and Aaron carried out the Lord's instructions exactly as he told them. And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
7 Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three, at the time they confronted Pharaoh. And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
Aaron's Staff Becomes a Snake
Study note
When Pharaoh demanded a miracle, Aaron threw down his staff and it turned into a snake. Pharaoh called his magicians and sorcerers, and they were able to do the same thing through their secret arts. But Aaron's snake swallowed up all their snakes, showing God's power was greater. Even so, Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he refused to listen.
8 The Lord gave Moses and Aaron these instructions: And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
9 "Pharaoh will demand that you prove yourselves with some kind of miracle. When he does, tell Aaron to take his staff and throw it down on the floor in front of Pharaoh. It will transform into a snake." When 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.
10 Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh and did exactly what the Lord had told them. Aaron tossed his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his court officials, and it became a snake. And 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.
11 Pharaoh immediately called in his own wise men and sorcerers. Using their dark magic, the Egyptian magicians managed to do the same trick. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
12 Each magician threw down his staff, and each one turned into a snake as well. But then Aaron's snake swallowed up every one of their snakes. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
13 Even so, Pharaoh would not budge. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said would happen. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
The First Plague: Water Turns to Blood
Study note
God sent Moses to meet Pharaoh at the Nile River in the morning. Moses warned Pharaoh, but Pharaoh refused to listen. Aaron struck the Nile with the staff, and all the water turned to blood. The fish died, the river smelled terrible, and the Egyptians could not drink the water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt, even in containers of water. The Nile was sacred to the Egyptians, so this plague was a direct attack on their gods. But Egypt's magicians were also able to turn water to blood, so Pharaoh hardened his heart again.
14 Then the Lord told Moses, "Pharaoh is completely set against letting the people leave." And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.
15 "Tomorrow morning, go meet Pharaoh when he heads down to the Nile. Stand on the bank of the river waiting for him. Bring along the staff that turned into a snake." Get 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.
16 "Tell him, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me with this message: Let my people go so they can worship me out in the desert. Up until now, you have refused to listen.'" And 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.
17 "Then say, 'This is how the Lord will prove to you who he is. Watch — I am about to strike the Nile with this staff, and its water will turn into blood.'" Thus 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.
18 "Every fish in the river will die. The river will smell so awful that the Egyptians will not be able to stomach drinking from it." And 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.
19 The Lord also told Moses, "Instruct Aaron to hold out his staff over every body of water in Egypt — the rivers, the canals, the ponds, every pool of water. They will all become blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt — even inside people's wooden containers and stone jars." And 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.
20 Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord's command. Aaron lifted his staff and struck the Nile before Pharaoh and his officials. Every drop of water in the river turned to blood. And 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.
21 The fish in the river died, and the stench was unbearable. No Egyptian could drink the river water. Blood was everywhere throughout the whole country. And 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.
22 But Pharaoh's magicians performed the same feat with their dark arts. So Pharaoh remained stubborn and refused to listen, just as the Lord had said he would. And 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.
23 Pharaoh simply turned around, walked back into his palace, and did not give it a second thought. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.
24 The Egyptians dug holes along the riverbanks. They tried to find water they could drink. The river water was too foul to drink. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
25 A full week passed after the Lord turned the Nile to blood. And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.