The Nile River Turns into Blood

Exodus 7:14 So the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.

Exodus 7:15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the water, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand. 

Pharaoh usually went down to the Nile River in the morning. It wasn't just for a wash; it was likely part of his religious routine.

Moses met Pharaoh by the riverbank early in the morning on three separate occasions to warn him about specific plagues God was planning to send. 

The Nile River was sacred (holy or very special) to the Egyptians. It was the lifeblood of their country. Its yearly flooding watered their crops and made Egypt rich. It was their most vital resource, and they even sang songs thanking it.

So, meeting Pharaoh right there, by the banks of their most important and sacred river, was a powerful setting for Moses to deliver God's warnings, especially since the first plague directly affected the Nile itself.

Exodus 7:16 And you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness”; but indeed, until now you would not hear!

Exodus 7:17 Thus says the Lord: “By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood. 

The Heb. word does not denote red coloring such as might be seen when red clay is washed downstream, but denotes actual substance, i.e., blood.

Exodus 7:18 And the fish that are in the river shall die, the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the river.” ’ ”

Exodus 7:19 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’ ”

Exodus 7:20 And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So 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.

Exodus 7:21 The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

Exodus 7:22 Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.

It was pretty silly and revealing that the Egyptian magicians just copied the plague (making more bloody water) instead of actually fixing the problem by turning the water back to normal.

Even though making more blood didn't help anyone, it did make Pharaoh even more stubborn and less likely to listen.

Exodus 7:23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.

Exodus 7:24 So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river. 

Since the Nile River water was unusable, the only way people could get drinking water was to dig wells near the river to reach the clean water underground.

This underground water was likely what the magicians used when they copied the miracle of turning water into blood (mentioned in verse 22).

Frogs

Exodus 7:25 And seven days passed after the Lord had struck the river.

Exodus 8:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 

The warning for the second plague was delivered to Pharaoh, presumably at his palace. Warnings for the fifth (9:1) and eighth (10:1) plagues also occurred at the palace.

Exodus 8:2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs. 

The verb God used also meant “to plague.” Various terms (lit. from the Heb.), namely “plagues” (9:14), “strike” (12:13), and “pestilence” (9:3, 15), were employed to impress them with the severity of what was happening in Egypt. 

That Egyptians favored frogs was seen in the wearing of amulets in the shape of a frog and in the prohibition against intentionally killing frogs, who were considered sacred animals. 

The croaking of frogs from the river and pools of water signaled to farmers that the gods who controlled the Nile’s flooding and receding had once again made the land fertile.

The god Hapi was venerated on this occasion because he had caused alluvial deposits to come downstream. Further, the frog was the representation, the image, of the goddess Heqt, the wife of the god Khum, and the symbol of resurrection and fertility. 

The presence of frogs in such abundance, all over everywhere outside and inside the houses (vv. 3, 13), however, brought only frustration, dismay, and much discomfort, rather than the normal signal that the fields were ready for cultivating and harvesting.

Exodus 8:3 So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls.

Exodus 8:4 And the frogs shall come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants.” ’ ”

Exodus 8:5 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’ ”

Exodus 8:6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.

God miraculously produced a superabundance of frogs. How, we are not told. It is unusual for frogs to venture too far from a moist environment, but these went everywhere.

Exodus 8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt. 

And the magicians did so, but this time Pharaoh would be disturbed. The plague of blood perhaps did not greatly affect Pharaoh personally as he may have had beverages other than water to drink, but the case of the frogs was different. This plague was directed against the god Hapi and the frog goddess Heqt.

Exodus 8:8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the Lord that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the Lord.” 

Using the Lord’s name and begging for relief through His intervention was more a point in negotiation and not a personal or official recognition of Israel’s Lord.

Exodus 8:9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.” 

A specific detail like this in Moses’ question indicates that the Nile and the waters had returned to normal and again continued to support life.

Exodus 8:10 So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.