1 The LORD told Moses, “Listen! I’ve positioned you as God a7:1 Or as a god to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. ISV — Exodus 7:1
2 You are to speak everything that I’ve commanded you, and then your brother Aaron will speak to Pharaoh, telling him to let the Israelis go out of his land. ISV — Exodus 7:2
3 I’ll harden Pharaoh’s heart and I’ll add more and more of my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. ISV — Exodus 7:3
4 When Pharaoh won’t listen to you, I’ll let loose my power b7:4 Or I’ll put my hand upon Egypt. I’ll bring out my tribal divisions—my people the Israelis—from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. c7:4 Lit. great judgments ISV — Exodus 7:4
5 The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand over Egypt to bring the Israelis out from among them.” ISV — Exodus 7:5
6 Moses and Aaron did what the LORD commanded them. ISV — Exodus 7:6
7 Moses was 80 years old and Aaron was 83 when they spoke to Pharaoh. ISV — Exodus 7:7
8 Then the LORD told Moses and Aaron, ISV — Exodus 7:8
9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miraculous sign,’ then you are to say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it in front of Pharaoh.’ It will become a serpent.” ISV — Exodus 7:9
10 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and did what the LORD had commanded them. Aaron threw his staff in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent. ISV — Exodus 7:10
11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and sorcerers, and they—along with the Egyptian magicians—did the same thing with their secret arts. ISV — Exodus 7:11
12 So each one threw down his staff and it became a serpent, but Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. ISV — Exodus 7:12
13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn d7:13 Lit. strong and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had said would happen. ISV — Exodus 7:13
14 Then the LORD told Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hard. He has refused to let the people go. ISV — Exodus 7:14
15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he’s going down to the water. Stand on the bank of the Nile River e7:15 The Heb. lacks River and meet him. Be sure to take with you f7:15 Lit. in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. ISV — Exodus 7:15
16 Then say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you. He says, “Let my people go so they may serve g7:16 Or worship me in the desert, but until now you haven’t obeyed.”’ h7:16 Or listened ISV — Exodus 7:16
17 “‘This is what the LORD says: “This is how you’ll know that I am the LORD: Right now I’m going to strike the water of the Nile River i7:17 The Heb. lacks River with the staff that’s in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. ISV — Exodus 7:17
18 The fish in the Nile River j7:18 The Heb. lacks River will die and the river k7:18 Or the Nile will stink. The Egyptians will be unable l7:18 Or weary themselves to drink water from the Nile River. m7:18 The Heb. lacks River ”’” ISV — Exodus 7:18
19 The LORD also told Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their Nile River n7:19 The Heb. lacks River , over their ponds, and over their reservoirs, o7:19 Lit. every collection of their waters and they’ll become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in their p7:19 The Heb. lacks their wood and stone containers.’” q7:19 The Heb. lacks containers ISV — Exodus 7:19
20 Moses and Aaron did just what the LORD had commanded. Aaron r7:20 Lit. He raised his staff and struck the water in the Nile River s7:20 The Heb. lacks River in front of t7:20 Lit. before the eyes of Pharaoh and his u7:20 Lit. before the eyes of his officials, v7:20 Or servants and all the water in the Nile River w7:20 The Heb. lacks River turned to blood. ISV — Exodus 7:20
21 The fish in the Nile River x7:21 The Heb. lacks River died and the river y7:21 Or the Nile stank. The Egyptians were not able to drink water from the Nile River, z7:21 The Heb. lacks River and blood was throughout the land of Egypt. ISV — Exodus 7:21
22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same thing aa7:22 Lit. did thus with their secret arts. Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn, bb7:22 Lit. strong and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had said. ISV — Exodus 7:22
23 Then Pharaoh turned away, went to his palace, and paid no attention to any of this. ISV — Exodus 7:23
24 All the Egyptians dug around the Nile River cc7:24 The Heb. lacks River for water to drink because they could not drink from the water in the Nile River. dd7:24 The Heb. lacks River ISV — Exodus 7:24
25 Seven days after ee7:25 Lit. days were filled after the LORD had struck the Nile River, ff7:25 The Heb. lacks River ISV — Exodus 7:25