Moses's repeated complaint about "uncircumcised lips" (6:30, echoing 6:12) creates a literary inclusio that frames God's commissioning speech, emphasizing divine authority overriding human inadequacy.
Exodus 7
1The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
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.
3I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
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.
5The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring the children of Israel out from among them.”
6Moses and Aaron did so. As the LORD commanded them, so they did.
7Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Aaron's Staff Becomes a Serpent
8The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
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.’”
10Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as the LORD had commanded. Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments.
12For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
13Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.
First Plague: Water to Blood
14The LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.
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.
16You shall tell him, ‘The LORD, 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.”
17The LORD says, “In this you shall know that I am the LORD. 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.
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.”’”
19The LORD 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.’”
20Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD 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.
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.
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 the LORD had spoken.
23Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he didn’t even take this to heart.
24All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink; for they couldn’t drink the river water.
25Seven days were fulfilled, after the LORD had struck the river.
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Theme
God formally commissions Moses and Aaron to confront Pharaoh, establishing their divine authority and warning that Pharaoh's heart will be hardened. When Aaron's staff becomes a serpent and swallows the Egyptian magicians' serpents, it demonstrates God's superior power, yet Pharaoh remains unmoved. The confrontation escalates with the first plague as Aaron strikes the Nile, turning all Egypt's water to blood and killing the fish, beginning God's systematic judgment on Egypt.
Context
This chapter launches the plague narrative following Moses' initial failed encounter with Pharaoh in chapter 6, beginning the systematic demonstration of God's power over Egypt.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-7 Moses and Aaron's Divine Commission God establishes Moses as His representative to Pharaoh with Aaron as spokesman, warning of coming judgments.
- 8-13 Aaron's Staff Becomes a Serpent Aaron's rod transforms into a serpent and devours the Egyptian magicians' serpents, but Pharaoh's heart remains hardened.
- 14-25 First Plague: Water Turned to Blood God commands Moses and Aaron to strike the Nile, turning all Egypt's water to blood and killing the fish.
Moses and Aaron's Commission
6:28–7:7 narrative dialogue solemn
God commissions Moses and Aaron for their mission to Pharaoh, establishing their roles and predicting Pharaoh's resistance. Moses expresses continued reluctance about his speaking ability, but they obey God's commands.
person_contrast
Moses's repeated complaint about "uncircumcised lips" (6:30, echoing 6:12) creates a literary inclusio that frames God's commissioning speech, emphasizing divine authority overriding human inadequacy.
Aaron's Staff Becomes a Serpent
7:8–7:13 narrative narration triumphant
Aaron's staff transforms into a serpent before Pharaoh as a sign of God's power. Though Egyptian magicians replicate the miracle, Aaron's serpent devours theirs, demonstrating God's superior authority.
person_contrast
Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience, here orchestrates a dramatic power contest where divine authority literally devours Egyptian magic through Aaron's serpent consuming the magicians' snakes.
First Plague: Water to Blood
7:14–7:25 narrative narration wrathful
The first plague strikes Egypt as God turns the Nile and all water sources to blood, causing widespread death and suffering. Despite this demonstration of divine power, Pharaoh's heart remains hardened and he refuses to release the Israelites.
person_contrast
Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience, here wields miraculous power as God's instrument of judgment, reversing his usual role from lawgiver to plague-bringer.
Insights
Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience, here orchestrates a dramatic power contest where divine authority literally devours Egyptian magic through Aaron's serpent consuming the magicians' snakes.
Moses, typically associated with law-giving and obedience, here wields miraculous power as God's instrument of judgment, reversing his usual role from lawgiver to plague-bringer.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Exodus 7:3 5 references
Lexicals 5
Deuteronomy 6:22 Lexical
and the LORD showed great and awesome signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his house, before our eyes;
Deuteronomy 34:11 Lexical
in all the signs and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants…
Nehemiah 9:10 Lexical
and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you…
Psalms 135:9 Lexical
He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants.
Exodus 11:9 Lexical
The LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh won’t listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
Exodus 7:9 1 reference
Exodus 7:11 2 references
Exodus 7:15 3 references
Lexicals 3
Genesis 41:17 Lexical
Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I stood on the brink of the river;
1 Samuel 15:12 Lexical
Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and Samuel was told, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up…
Exodus 5:20 Lexical
They met Moses and Aaron, who stood along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh.
Exodus 7:17 1 reference
Exodus 7:18 1 reference
Exodus 7:20 1 reference
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
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Lemma
Morphology
Semantic Range
Theological Significance
Translation Notes
Key Passages
Historical Context
Places and events in this chapter
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Timeline
Exodus
c. 1446 BCIsrael's miraculous deliverance from Egyptian slavery under Moses' leadership, including the ten plagues and Red Sea crossing. This foundational event established Israel as God's chosen nation.
The first plague demonstrates God's power over Egypt's gods and Pharaoh.
First Plague: Water to Blood