Exodus 7

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