(For an introduction to the plagues, see the Chapter Comments).
The First Plague - The Nile is Turned Into ‘Blood' (Exodus 7:14-25).
a Yahweh says that Pharaoh's heart is stubborn so that he will not let the people go (Exodus 14).
b Moses is to go to Pharaoh with his staff and meet him by the Nile (Exodus 15).
c Yahweh had said, ‘let my people go', but Pharaoh has not listened (Exodus 16)
d Now Pharaoh will know that He is Yahweh because He will smite the waters and they will be turned to blood, the fish will die and the river will smell (Exodus 17-18).
e Aaron told to stretch out his hand that there might be blood throughout all the land of Egypt (Exodus 19).
d Moses and Aaron do so and all the waters turn to blood, and the fish die and the river smells throughout all the land of Egypt (Exodus 20-21).
c The magicians do the same with their enchantments, and Pharaoh's heart is hardened and he does not listen to them as Yahweh has said (Exodus 22 b).
b Pharaoh returned to his house and did not set his heart to consider the matter, but all the Egyptians had to dig about the river for water because they could not drink the river (Exodus 23-24).
a Seven days were fulfilled after Yahweh had smitten the river (Exodus 25).
Note that in ‘a' Yahweh says that Pharaoh's heart is stubborn so that he will not let the people go, and in the parallel He punishes him by a seven day smiting of the Nile, a great blow to any Egyptian. In ‘b' Moses meets Pharaoh by the Nile, with his staff which was turned into a snake in his hand, but Pharaoh does not consider the matter and returns to his palace, deserting the Nile. The result in the parallel is that the people receive no help from the Nile and have to dig in the earth round about it. The great comparison in both these parallels is between Yahweh's authority and power, and His rendering inoperative the sacred Nile because of Pharaoh's intransigence. In ‘c' Pharaoh refuses to listen to Yahweh, and in the parallel his heart is hardened and he does not listen to Moses and Aaron. In ‘d' Yahweh's name will be revealed by the turning of the Nile and its tributaries into blood with all its consequences, while in the parallel the Nile and its tributaries are turned into blood and all the consequences follow. The overall consequence is found in ‘e', and that is that there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh's heart is stubborn (literally ‘heavy'). He refuses to let the people go.”
The account of the ten plagues begins with this criticism by Yahweh which stresses that Pharaoh is to be seen as blameworthy. His heart is proud and stubborn and self-willed. He is not just a tool in the hand of God. It will also end with the same judgment, although there it is attributed to Yahweh (Exodus 11:10). So whatever ‘Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart' later means this initial statement indicates that it does not mean that Pharaoh had no choice. He had a clear choice to make, and he was making it.
“You go to Pharaoh in the morning. Lo, he goes to the water. And you will stand by the river's brink to meet him, and the rod which was turned into a snake you will take in your hand.”
It would appear that Pharaoh went to the Nile frequently in the morning (see Exodus 8:20), just as earlier Pharaoh's daughter had done the same when she found Moses. This was probably in order to venerate the Nile god. Moses was to meet him there with the staff of God which had previously turned into a snake in his hand, and stand by the edge of the river.
The specific continued reference to the snake suggests that it is to be seen as significant in regards to what was to happen. This could well be because God knew how significant the snake was to Pharaoh. When worn as a symbol on his head Pharaoh probably saw it as protecting him from harm. Now he would learn that there was one who could devour his snake and any his people reproduced.
“And you will say to him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you saying, “Let my people go that they may serve me in the wilderness.” And behold, up to now you have not listened. Thus says Yahweh, “In this will you know that I am Yahweh, behold I will smite with the staff that is in my hand on the waters which are in the Nile and they will be turned into blood. And the fish that are in the Nile will die and the Nile will give off a stench and the Egyptians will loathe drinking water from the Nile.” ' ”
Moses is now told that he must make the position crystal clear to Pharaoh. Yahweh's command is that Pharaoh let His people go so that they may serve Him in the wilderness. This command will be constantly repeated.
But Pharaoh has refused to let the people go to serve Him in the wilderness so Yahweh now tells Pharaoh through Moses that He will turn the Nile red as blood, so that the fish die and the Nile smells, and so that even those who worship the Nile will refuse to drink its waters.
The Nile regularly turned red annually as a result of high flooding bringing red earth down from its sources, but that was common and did not have major effects. It was then still drinkable. However, Moses declares that in this case the water will be so polluted that it will kill the fish and their rotting bodies will pollute the Nile. The major miracle here is that it will appear to happen at the time Yahweh commands, and in great profusion.
“In this will you know that I am Yahweh.” Once again the motif of ‘knowing Yahweh' comes out, and again as a result of His present action. Pharaoh will know that He is ‘the One Who Is There to act' (compare on Exodus 3:14; Exodus 6:3).
“Behold I will smite with the staff that is in my hand.” The staff in the hand of Aaron will be the staff in the hand of Yahweh, for Aaron will stand as representative of Yahweh and of Moses. Aaron will be Yahweh's hand as he is Moses' mouth (Exodus 4:16). The staff represented the authority of the bearer and represented who he was.
“They will be turned into blood.” That is, they will be turned unusually blood-red and will be unusually ‘thick'. The ancients would readily describe any thick blood-red liquid as blood. There would clearly be a change to the colour of the Nile that day in excess of what was usually known, a change that would be very noticeable as the flood waters swept down bearing excessive quantities of the red earth.
The red earth came from the basins of the Blue Nile and Atbara, and the more earth the flooding Nile carried the redder it became. The flood would further bring down with it flood microcosms known as flagellates and associated bacteria. These would heighten the blood-red colour of the water and create conditions in which the fish would die in large numbers resulting in rotting fish and a great stench. The latter would not, of course, all happen in one day.
Pharaoh and the people were used to the Nile looking somewhat red at this time of the year, thus the intensity of the redness must have been such that it amazed even them.
“The Egyptians will loathe drinking water from the Nile.” To the Egyptians the Nile was a friendly god and to drink its waters was a thing to be desired. Indeed typical of the adoration of the Nile is the famous Hymn to the Nile, “You are the Lord of the poor and the needy. If you were overthrown in the heavens the gods would fall upon their faces and men would perish." But now they will rather turn against the Nile and refuse to drink its waters.
“Let my people go.” This phrase, which is first found in Exodus 5:1 in the first polite request to Pharaoh, comes at the commencement of the first two incidents in each of the three series of plagues (see Exodus 7:16; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 8:20; Exodus 9:1; Exodus 9:13; Exodus 10:3), although in the last it is not under Yahweh's instruction. Exodus 5:1 makes up the seventh. It thus appears seven times, the divinely perfect number. (It is an indication of the intricate pattern in the narrative that a seven can constantly be built into the ten).
‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their canals, and over their reed pools and over all their ponds of water. And there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.”
“Take your staff.” Three times Aaron is told to take his staff, in Exodus 7:9; Exodus 7:15; Exodus 7:19. The staff would have special significance for Pharaoh because it had turned into a large snake and eaten the snakes produced by the magicians. It had swallowed his protection and had outmanoeuvred his magicians. It was a symbol of the power of Yahweh and of Moses and Aaron.
Yahweh now tells Moses that Aaron, as Moses' prophet, is to stretch out the staff of God over the Nile resulting in all water sources being contaminated. This would be inevitable, for all drew their water from the Nile. The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt on which Egypt depended for its very existence. All its water in the end came from the Nile, and where the Nile and its offshoots did not reach was only desert.
“Over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their canals, and over their reed pools and over all their ponds of water.” This basically covers all water sources, the Nile, its tributaries, the irrigation canals built to irrigate the land, the standing pools and the man made reservoirs. Note the fivefold description of the water sources. In Egypt five was the number of completeness. This may have been a standard Egyptian description for the water sources.
“In vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.” The water in these would not turn red instantaneously, but because water in these was drawn from the Nile, eventually that is all that would be in their vessels. They drew their water and stored it in their vessels, hoping the sediment might fall to the bottom, and then had to pour it away because it was undrinkable and unusable. It is interesting to note that with the five previous water sources this now makes up seven. Now even their vessels are yielding blood at the command of Yahweh.
“Take your staff and stretch out your hand --.” Compare Exodus 8:5 - ‘stretch forth your hand with your staff'; Exodus 8:16 - ‘stretch out your staff'; Exodus 8:24 - no action by Moses; Exodus 9:5 - no action by Moses; Exodus 9:8 - ‘take handfuls of ashes -- sprinkle it towards the heavens'; Exodus 9:22 - ‘stretch forth your hand towards the heavens'; Exodus 10:12 - ‘stretch forth your hand over the land of Egypt'; Exodus 10:21 - ‘stretch out your hand towards heaven'.
We note from this that the command to use the staff comes three times, the command to use the hand comes three times, and with the taking of a handful of ashes (a further use of the hand), overall action is taken seven times in a carefully patterned narrative. Three is the number of completeness, seven the number of divine perfection. We note also that action is made towards the heavens three times
‘And Moses and Aaron did so, as Yahweh commanded, and he lifted up the staff and smote the waters that were in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the Nile were turned to blood, and the fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile gave off a stench, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile, and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.'
Aaron acts but it is Moses who is in charge. And at their action the Nile begins to go a deeper red and darken, the fish die, the stench increases and the waters become undrinkable.
During July and August it was normal for a reddish colour to permeate the water as a result of the red earth brought down by its flow which itself, like the Nile, was beneficial to Egypt covering the land as the Nile flooded and providing fertile soil. But normally the fish did not die and the water remained drinkable.
But this year there was excess of the red earth, and living organisms intensified the redness, and all the fish died and the water could not be drunk. For Egypt this was disaster. They depended on the fish for a food source, and on the water for drink, and both failed.
“He lifted up the staff and smote the waters that were in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants.” They made it clear to Pharaoh and his officials that what was to happen was the work of Yahweh by smiting the Nile with the rod of God in full view.
‘And the magicians of Egypt did the same with their enchantments, and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them as Yahweh had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, nor did he lay even this to heart'
The Nile and all its offshoots were now red as blood. Thus the magicians had to find uncontaminated water, either in storage pots or in springs not yet affected by what had happened to the Nile. Once they had done so it would not be hard with their learning and abilities to make it look to Pharaoh and his officials as though they also could then turn it red, which they did, no doubt dramatically. Pharaoh and his officials would be the last to suffer from events. They would be provided with drinking water and with food while the people struggled and went hungry and had to dig for their water. Thus Pharaoh was not prepared to change his mind. He could bravely allow his people to suffer.
“Pharaoh turned and went into his house.” A dramatic description of his refusal to hear. There he was safe from all the problems that would be caused. He could ignore the world outside. He was not willing to heed the message given. ‘Turned and went' may signify peremptory action. In Exodus 10:6 it is Moses who turns and goes.
‘And all the Egyptians dug round about the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile.'
For the people it was not so easy. Pharaoh could sit in his house and have his water brought to him, but they had to provide their own water. And they had to find it by digging to find places where the water was not contaminated. The great Nile had failed them. The water they found would not be very drinkable because of the nature of the soil which gave it a bitter taste, but at least it was usable.
We can presumably assume that the children of Israel, having been warned by Moses, had stored up water against this eventuality (note the ‘all the Egyptians').
‘And seven days were fulfilled after Yahweh had smitten the Nile.'
The ‘seven days' that now passed represented the divinely perfect and complete time, a short time determined by Yahweh, and however long as was necessary. During this time Pharaoh was to be left to think, and then Yahweh would act again. It was only Yahweh Who knew what would come next.
What lessons then can we draw from this passage? There are many. It declares God's power over creation. It reveals His right to make demands on us. It reveals the arrogance of man's heart over against God. The people we live among may not be Pharaoh's, but they are equally rejecting the commands of Yahweh. It tells us that God will bring all sins into account, whether it be soon or in the more distant future, for it reveals a God Who requires obedience to His commandments.
And these lessons will continually be taught in the passages that follow for in this battle between Yahweh's will and Pharaoh's we have a picture of the world in contention with God. God has shown man through His word what he must do. But man is continually obstinate like Pharaoh and refuses to obey His will. Thus must God continually work to bring man into submission, with the warning that if he will not submit he can only expect the judgment of God.
Excursus: Further Note On The Plagues (mainly repeated from the introduction).
We have noted in the introduction (see Chapter Comments) the three sets of three plagues, and that in the first plague of each set Moses goes to Pharaoh, either to the river or ‘before Pharaoh', while in the second in each set Moses goes to the palace, and in the third plague in each set the plague occurs without warning.
We have also noted that God says ‘let my people go' seven times (although only six times before specific plagues - Exodus 5:1; Exodus 7:16; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 8:20; Exodus 9:1; Exodus 9:13; Exodus 10:3).
Now we note again that there is a central core around which each plague is described, although the details vary. This is: a description in detail of what will happen (Exodus 7:17-18; Exodus 8:2-4; no separate description; Exodus 8:21; Exodus 9:3-4; Exodus 9:9; Exodus 9:15; Exodus 10:4-6; no separate description), the call to Moses either to instruct Aaron (three times - Exodus 7:19; Exodus 8:5; Exodus 8:16) or to act himself (three times - Exodus 9:22; Exodus 10:12; Exodus 10:21) or for them both to act (once -Exodus 9:8), the action taken (Exodus 7:20; Exodus 8:6; Exodus 8:17; no action; no action; Exodus 9:10; Exodus 9:23; Exodus 10:13; Exodus 10:22), and an inevitable description of the consequences, which parallels the previous description where given (Exodus 7:21; Exodus 8:6; Exodus 8:17; Exodus 8:24; Exodus 9:6-7; Exodus 9:10-11; Exodus 9:23-26; Exodus 10:13-15; Exodus 10:22-23).
Note that there are seven separate prior descriptions, and as previously noted seven calls to act followed by that action, but the sevens are not for the same plagues. The narrative is carefully built around sevens.
Pharaoh's initial response to their approach is mentioned three times, for Pharaoh reacts against the people (Exodus 5:5-6); calls for his magicians (Exodus 7:11); makes a compromise offer and then drives Moses and Aaron from his presence (Exodus 10:11).
As might be expected Pharaoh's final response grows in intensity.
1). Yahweh hardened his heart so that he did not listen to them as Yahweh had said (Exodus 7:13) (Yahweh hardening him, and that he would not let the people go had been forecast in Exodus 4:21). This was prior to the plagues.
2). His heart was hardened and he did not listen to them as Yahweh had said, and he turned and went into his house, ‘nor did he set his heart to this also' (Exodus 7:22-23).
3). He entreated Yahweh to take away the plague and said that he would let the people go to worship Yahweh (Exodus 8:8), and later hardened his heart and did not listen to them as Yahweh had said (Exodus 8:15).
4). Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he did not listen to them as Yahweh had said (Exodus 8:19).
5). He told Moses and Aaron that they may sacrifice in the land (Exodus 8:25), and then, on Moses' refusing his offer, that they may sacrifice in the wilderness but not go far away (Exodus 8:28) which Moses accepts, but later he hardened his heart and would not let the people go (Exodus 8:32).
6). He sent to find out what had happened and then his heart was hardened and would not let the people go (Exodus 9:7).
7). Yahweh hardened his heart and he did not listen to them as Yahweh had spoken to Moses (Exodus 9:12).
8). Pharaoh admitted that he had sinned, asked them to entreat for him, and said ‘I will let you go and you will stay no longer' (Exodus 9:27-28). Then he sinned yet more and hardened his heart, he and his servants (Exodus 9:34), and his heart was hardened nor would he let the children of Israel go as Yahweh had spoken to Moses (Exodus 9:35).
9). Pharaoh admitted that he had sinned, and asked them to entreat Yahweh for him (Exodus 10:17), but later Yahweh hardened his heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go (Exodus 10:20).
10). Pharaoh said that they might go apart from their cattle (Exodus 10:24), and on Moses refusing ‘Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not let them go' (Exodus 10:27), and he commanded that they leave his presence and not return on pain of death (Exodus 10:28).
11). In the summary ‘Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land' (Exodus 11:10).
We note from the above that ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you' occurs twice (Exodus 7:4; Exodus 11:9), ‘did not listen to them as Yahweh had said' occurs four times (Exodus 7:13; Exodus 7:22; Exodus 8:15; Exodus 19); and ‘did not listen to them as Yahweh had spoken to Moses' occurs once (Exodus 9:12) thus his not being willing to listen occurs seven times in all (the phrase ‘as Yahweh had spoken to Moses' occurs twice (Exodus 9:12; Exodus 9:35), but not as connected with not listening). In contrast he entreats that Yahweh will show mercy four times (Exodus 8:8; Exodus 8:28; Exodus 9:27; Exodus 10:17), and parleys with Moses three times (Exodus 8:8; Exodus 8:25; Exodus 10:24), making seven in all. Yahweh hardened his heart five times (Exodus 7:13; Exodus 9:12; Exodus 10:20; Exodus 10:27; Exodus 11:10), which with Exodus 4:21 and Exodus 10:1 makes seven times. (Yahweh also hardened his heart in Exodus 14:8, but that was over pursuing the fleeing people). His heart was hardened (by himself?) four times (Exodus 7:22; Exodus 8:19; Exodus 9:7; Exodus 9:35), and he hardened his own heart three times (Exodus 8:15; Exodus 8:32; Exodus 9:34), again making seven times. It is said that he would not let the people go five times (Exodus 8:32; Exodus 9:7; Exodus 9:35; Exodus 10:20; Exodus 11:10). With Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:14 that makes not letting the people go seven times. Yahweh told Pharaoh to let His people go seven times (Exodus 5:1; Exodus 7:16; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 8:20; Exodus 9:1; Exodus 9:13; Exodus 10:3). Thus the writer would clearly seem to have been deliberately aiming at sevenfold repetition, and this is spread throughout the narrative in different ways, stressing the total unity of the passage.
End of excursus.