Exodus 7

1 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] answered Moses, “See [behold, look], I have made you like [as, similar to] God [Elohim, the supreme authority] to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt], and your brother [male sibling, close relative] Aaron will be your prophet [one who speaks for God, a spokesperson]. word study 2 You [the one I have chosen] are to speak [declare, communicate] all that I command [give orders, appoint] you, and your brother [male sibling, close relative] Aaron [the first high priest] is to tell [speak, declare] Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] to let [release, set free] the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob] go out [depart, leave] of his land [country, territory]. word study 3 But I [as the sovereign Lord] will harden [make stubborn, strengthen] Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt] heart [mind, will, and emotions], and though I will multiply [increase, abundantly perform] My signs [miraculous tokens, wonders] and wonders [awe-inspiring miracles, marvelous deeds] in the land [territory, region] of Egypt [the country, its people], word study 4 Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] will not [refuse to] listen [hear and obey] to you. Then I will lay [place, set] My hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on Egypt, and by mighty [great, powerful] acts of judgment [punishments, verdicts] I will bring [lead, guide] the divisions [tribes, groups] of My people [nation, family] the Israelites [descendants of Jacob] out of the land [country, territory] of Egypt. word study 5 And the Egyptians [the people of Egypt] will know [learn, perceive, ascertain by seeing] that I [the first person singular pronoun] am the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], when I stretch out [extend, spread out] My hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] against Egypt [the land and its people] and bring [lead out, cause to come out, hotsei] the Israelites [Bnei Yisrael, the descendants of Jacob] out from among [out of the midst, mitocham] them.” word study 6 So Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron [the first high priest] did just as [in accordance with, obeying] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had commanded [given orders, appointed] them [namely, exactly as instructed]. word study 7 Moses [the Israelite leader, a son of Amram] was eighty [a period of eight decades] years old and Aaron [the brother of Moses, the first high priest] was eighty-three [eighty plus three] when they spoke [to communicate, to declare God’s message] to [toward, in the direction of] Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful ruler]. word study 8 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, command, or proclaim] to Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] and Aaron [the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites], word study 9 “When Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] tells you, ‘Perform a [miracle, sign, or wonder] [to demonstrate God’s power] miracle,’ you are to say to Aaron [Moses’ brother, the first high priest], ‘Take your staff [rod, or walking stick] and throw it down [cast it, lay it] before Pharaoh [the ruler of Egypt],’ and it will become a serpent [snake, or monster].” word study 10 So Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron [the first high priest] went to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] and did just as the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had commanded [given orders, appointed]. Aaron threw [cast away] his staff [rod] down before Pharaoh [in the presence of] and his officials [servants, slaves], and it became [existed, came into being] a serpent [monster, sea-serpent]. word study 11 But Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] called [summoned, invited] the wise men [skilled, intelligent, or crafty] and sorcerers [practicing magic or witchcraft] and magicians [claiming special knowledge of the stars and supernatural forces] of Egypt, and they also [too, in like manner] did the same things [works, deeds, or actions] by their magic arts [enchantments, secret spells, or supernatural powers]. word study 12 Each one [every man, individually] threw down his staff [rod, walking stick], and it became [was turned into] a serpent [monster, sea-serpent]. But Aaron’s [the high priest] staff [a rod] swallowed up [devoured, completely destroyed] the other staffs [rods, walking sticks]. word study 13 Still, Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt] heart [the seat of feelings, will, and intellect] was hardened [made strong, stubborn], and he would not listen [hear and obey] to them, just as [in accordance with] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] had said [spoken, commanded]. word study 14 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt] heart [the feelings, the will, the mind] is unyielding [heavy, stubborn, or hardened]; he refuses [to say no, or reject] to let the people [a nation, or a group of individuals] go [to send, or depart]. word study 15 Go to Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] in the morning [at the break of day, a time of new beginnings] as you see him walking out to the water [the Nile River, a source of life]. Wait [stand and station yourself] on the bank [the edge, the border] of the Nile [the river] to meet him, and take in your hand [with strength and authority] the staff [a rod] that was changed [transformed, turned] into a snake [a serpent]. word study 16 Then say to him, ‘The LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of the Hebrews [descendants of Eber], has sent [commissioned, dispatched] me to tell you: Let My people [nation, community] go, so that they may worship [serve, honor] Me in the wilderness [desert, uninhabited land]. But you have not listened [heeded, obeyed] until now [hitherto, up to this point]. word study 17 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: By this [sign, miracle] you will know [ascertain, learn, perceive] that I am the LORD [the self-existent, eternal God]. Behold [look, see], with the staff [rod] in my hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] I will strike [hit, smite] the water [liquid, source of refreshment] of the Nile [the life-giving river], and it will turn [be changed, transformed] to blood [the liquid essential for life]. word study 18 The fish [fish in the river, aquatic life] in the Nile [stream, river, or watercourse] will die [come to destruction, perish], the river [stream, waterway] will stink [become foul, smell bad], and the Egyptians [people of Egypt, inhabitants of the land] will be unable [loathe, weary] to drink [consume, use for refreshment] its water [liquid, source of refreshment].’” word study 19 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “Tell Aaron [the brother of Moses and first high priest], ‘Take your staff [rod of authority] and stretch out your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] over the waters [liquid or source of refreshment] of Egypt—over their rivers [a flood] and canals [watercourses] and ponds [pool or marsh] and reservoirs [collections of water]—that they may become blood [the liquid that flows through the body].’ There will be blood [liquid essential for life] throughout the land [soil or ground, country, or territory] of Egypt, even in the vessels [containers] of wood [tree, strong and firm object] and stone [rock, weight, or precious gem].” word study 20 Moses [the Israelite leader] and Aaron [the first high priest] did just as the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had commanded; in the presence [before the eyes] of Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] and his officials [servants], Aaron raised the staff [rod] and struck the water [liquid, source of refreshment] of the Nile [stream, river], and all [everything] the water was turned to blood [the liquid that flows through the body]. word study 21 The fish [aquatic life, including all sea creatures] in the Nile [the life-giving river] died, and the river [stream, watercourse] smelled so bad [became foul, stank] that the Egyptians [the people of Egypt] could not drink [consume, use for quenching thirst] its water [liquid, source of refreshment]. And there was blood [the life-force] throughout [in all parts, everywhere] the land [earth, territory] of Egypt [the land of the Egyptians]. word study 22 But the magicians [enchanters, sorcerers] of Egypt did the same things [in like manner, with their enchantments] by their magic arts [secret arts, enchantments]. So Pharaoh’s [the king of Egypt] heart [inner being, will] was hardened [strengthened, made stubborn], and he would not listen [hearken, give ear] to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] had said [spoken, commanded]. word study 23 Instead, Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] turned around [faced away, went back], went into his palace [house, dwelling place], and did not take [set, regard] any of this [these events, this situation] to heart [his inner being, mind, and will]. word study 24 So all [every single one] the Egyptians [people of Egypt, from the land of the Nile] dug [sought, searched deeply] around [surrounding, encompassing] the Nile [stream, river, watercourse] for water [liquid, source of refreshment] to drink [consume, feast], because they could not [were unable, lacked the power] drink [consume, partake] the water [liquid, source of refreshment] from the river [stream, canal, watercourse]. word study 25 And [a full week, seven complete] seven [sacred] full days passed [were fulfilled, came to an end] after [following, in the rear of] the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] had [smote, struck with judgment] struck [hit, smitten with plague] the Nile [river, stream, watercourse]. word study