New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Exodus 7
1
Then the Lord said to Moses, "I have made you like God to Pharaoh. And your brother Aaron will be like a prophet to you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 1:10
1 Kings 17:23
Genesis 19:21
2 Kings 6:32
References God
Psalm 82:6
References Lord
Exodus 16:29
2
You must say everything I command you to say. Then your brother Aaron must tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave his country.
Reference
3
"But I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn. I will multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 2:22
Romans 15:19
John 4:48
References Egypt
Exodus 4:21
Exodus 11:9
Acts 7:36
Psalm 135:9
4
In spite of that, he will not listen to you. So I will use my powerful hand against Egypt. When I judge them with mighty acts, I will bring my people Israel out like an army on the march.
Reference
5
"Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. I will reach out my powerful hand against Egypt. I will bring the people of Israel out of it."
Reference
References Egypt
Exodus 3:20
References Lord
Exodus 14:18
Exodus 7:17
Exodus 8:22
Exodus 14:4
Exodus 8:10
Ezekiel 39:7
Ezekiel 39:22
7
Moses was 80 years old and Aaron was 83 when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 7:23
Acts 7:30
Deuteronomy 31:2
Deuteronomy 29:5
References Moses
Deuteronomy 34:7
8
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron.
9
He said, "Pharaoh will say to you, 'Do a miracle.' When he does, speak to Aaron. Tell him, 'Take your wooden staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh.' It will turn into a snake."
Reference
10
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They did exactly as the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials. It turned into a snake.
Reference
References Moses
Exodus 4:3
11
Then Pharaoh sent for wise men and those who do evil magic. By doing their magic tricks, the Egyptian magicians did the same things Aaron had done.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 8:18
2 Timothy 3:8
Daniel 2:2
2 Thessalonians 2:9
Ephesians 4:14
Daniel 5:7
References Egypt
Exodus 7:22
Exodus 8:7
Genesis 41:8
12
Each one threw his staff down. Each staff turned into a snake. But Aaron's staff swallowed theirs up.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 4:4
13
In spite of that, Pharaoh's heart became stubborn. He wouldn't listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hebrews 3:13
Romans 2:5
Romans 1:28
References Lord
Exodus 4:21
Exodus 8:15
Exodus 10:20
Exodus 10:27
Exodus 10:1
14
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is very stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.
Reference
15
In the morning Pharaoh will go down to the water. Go and wait on the bank of the Nile River to meet him. Take in your hand the wooden staff that turned into a snake.
Reference
16
"Say to Pharaoh, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you. He says, "Let my people go. Then they will be able to worship me in the desert. But up to now you have not listened."
Reference
17
" 'The Lord says, "Here is how you will know that I am the Lord. I will strike the water of the Nile River with the staff that is in my hand. The river will turn into blood.
Reference
18
The fish in the river will die. The river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink its water." ' "
Reference
19
The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Get your staff. Reach your hand out over the waters of Egypt. The streams, waterways, ponds and all of the lakes will turn into blood. There will be blood everywhere in Egypt. It will even be in the wooden buckets and stone jars.' "
Reference
20
Moses and Aaron did exactly as the Lord had commanded them. Aaron held out his staff in front of Pharaoh and his officials. He struck the water of the Nile River. And all of the water turned into blood.
Reference
21
The fish in the Nile died. The river smelled so bad the Egyptians couldn't drink its water. There was blood everywhere in Egypt.
Reference
References Egypt
Exodus 7:18
22
But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by doing their magic tricks. So Pharaoh's heart became stubborn. He wouldn't listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
Reference
References Egypt
Exodus 7:11
23
Even that miracle didn't change Pharaoh's mind. In fact, he turned around and went into his palace.
24
All of the Egyptians dug holes near the Nile River to get drinking water. They couldn't drink water from the river.
25
Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile River.
Summary of Exodus 7
The chapter seven of Exodus narrates the events marking the beginning of the confrontation between God and Pharaoh. It begins with God reminding Moses that He made him a god to Pharaoh and that Aaron, his brother, would be his prophet.
God also explained how He intended to help Moses and Aaron communicate with Pharaoh. I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt, God announced (Exodus 7:5). Nevertheless, Pharaoh will not heed you. Then I will lay my hand upon Egypt and lead out my armies, namely, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. Furthermore, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt and bring forth mine armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt.
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh as the Lord commanded. The Bible notes that Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three years old when they came to Pharaoh. God commanded Moses and Aaron to show the Pharaoh a sign.
When Pharaoh asked them to show a miracle, Aaron threw his rod on the ground, and it became a serpent. Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh and performed the miracle God had asked them to demonstrate before the king and his court. However, the magic tricks of the wise men and sorcerers of Egypt were nothing different from the miracle performed by Aaron.
It became evident that although Aaron’s serpent had devoured the serpents of the magicians, their enchantments were comparable to the signs of God. However, as expected, the announcement of the plagues would begin with the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 7:3). Just as the Lord had said, the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he refused to obey the word of God delivered by Moses and Aaron. God also warned Moses that the miracles would be performed before the king and that his heart would always be hardened.
God told Moses to appear before Pharaoh the next morning and demonstrated to the king the miracle of changing the waters of the Nile into blood. It is possible that the Pharaoh went to the river to pray to his gods to heal the water since the river was sacred. Moses told Pharaoh that the God of the Hebrews had sent him to demand that the children of Israel be freed so that they could serve Him in the wilderness. Nevertheless, the Pharaoh said that he would not heed the word of Moses.
God informed Moses that He would perform the miracle of changing the waters of the Nile to blood. In this way, the people of Egypt would learn that He was the Lord. I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters of the river, and they shall be turned to blood, God said (Exodus 7:17). The fish shall die, and the river shall stink, and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.
God instructed Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out his hand over all the streams of Egypt and all the rivers and ponds of Egypt. Moses and Aaron did as they were instructed by stretching out their hands over all the waters of Egypt. All the waters that were in the river were changed to blood. The fish died, and the river stank. The waters of the Nile were undrinkable, and the Egyptians searched along the river banks for any potable water. However, the magicians of Egypt were able to imitate some of the wonders of God.
Again, the king of Egypt was warned that repeated plagues would come upon the land unless the people of Israel were freed. Yet again, the hardhearted Pharaoh refused to heed the word of the Lord. He went back to his house in the palace without giving heed to the warning of Moses and Aaron. The chapter ends by stating that the waters of the Nile remained changed for seven days after the plagues began. The chapter seven is a significant point in the book of Exodus because it illustrates the beginning of the plagues of Egypt and the subsequent confrontations between Pharaoh and God.
The chapter reveals that the signs and wonders of the Lord are far superior to the magic tricks of the sorcerers and wise men of Egypt. For every miracle that God performed, the magicians of Egypt imitated it using their enchantments. However, the imitations were not as good as the miracles of God. Nevertheless, the hardened heart of Pharaoh did not allow him to change his decision.
It is always surprising to realize how unthankful and evil-hearted humans can be. Just as the Lord had said, the magicians of Egypt could imitate the signs and wonders of the Almighty. Even though they had seen the mighty power of God, they did not give up their evil ways. It is noteworthy that the plagues would continue to be intensified, and Pharaoh would continue to defy the orders of God until his evil heart had been entirely changed.
God also explained how He intended to help Moses and Aaron communicate with Pharaoh. I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt, God announced (Exodus 7:5). Nevertheless, Pharaoh will not heed you. Then I will lay my hand upon Egypt and lead out my armies, namely, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. Furthermore, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt and bring forth mine armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt.
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh as the Lord commanded. The Bible notes that Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three years old when they came to Pharaoh. God commanded Moses and Aaron to show the Pharaoh a sign.
When Pharaoh asked them to show a miracle, Aaron threw his rod on the ground, and it became a serpent. Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh and performed the miracle God had asked them to demonstrate before the king and his court. However, the magic tricks of the wise men and sorcerers of Egypt were nothing different from the miracle performed by Aaron.
It became evident that although Aaron’s serpent had devoured the serpents of the magicians, their enchantments were comparable to the signs of God. However, as expected, the announcement of the plagues would begin with the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 7:3). Just as the Lord had said, the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he refused to obey the word of God delivered by Moses and Aaron. God also warned Moses that the miracles would be performed before the king and that his heart would always be hardened.
God told Moses to appear before Pharaoh the next morning and demonstrated to the king the miracle of changing the waters of the Nile into blood. It is possible that the Pharaoh went to the river to pray to his gods to heal the water since the river was sacred. Moses told Pharaoh that the God of the Hebrews had sent him to demand that the children of Israel be freed so that they could serve Him in the wilderness. Nevertheless, the Pharaoh said that he would not heed the word of Moses.
God informed Moses that He would perform the miracle of changing the waters of the Nile to blood. In this way, the people of Egypt would learn that He was the Lord. I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters of the river, and they shall be turned to blood, God said (Exodus 7:17). The fish shall die, and the river shall stink, and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.
God instructed Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out his hand over all the streams of Egypt and all the rivers and ponds of Egypt. Moses and Aaron did as they were instructed by stretching out their hands over all the waters of Egypt. All the waters that were in the river were changed to blood. The fish died, and the river stank. The waters of the Nile were undrinkable, and the Egyptians searched along the river banks for any potable water. However, the magicians of Egypt were able to imitate some of the wonders of God.
Again, the king of Egypt was warned that repeated plagues would come upon the land unless the people of Israel were freed. Yet again, the hardhearted Pharaoh refused to heed the word of the Lord. He went back to his house in the palace without giving heed to the warning of Moses and Aaron. The chapter ends by stating that the waters of the Nile remained changed for seven days after the plagues began. The chapter seven is a significant point in the book of Exodus because it illustrates the beginning of the plagues of Egypt and the subsequent confrontations between Pharaoh and God.
The chapter reveals that the signs and wonders of the Lord are far superior to the magic tricks of the sorcerers and wise men of Egypt. For every miracle that God performed, the magicians of Egypt imitated it using their enchantments. However, the imitations were not as good as the miracles of God. Nevertheless, the hardened heart of Pharaoh did not allow him to change his decision.
It is always surprising to realize how unthankful and evil-hearted humans can be. Just as the Lord had said, the magicians of Egypt could imitate the signs and wonders of the Almighty. Even though they had seen the mighty power of God, they did not give up their evil ways. It is noteworthy that the plagues would continue to be intensified, and Pharaoh would continue to defy the orders of God until his evil heart had been entirely changed.