Exodus 7:17
New International Version
This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood.

New Living Translation
So this is what the LORD says: “I will show you that I am the LORD.” Look! I will strike the water of the Nile with this staff in my hand, and the river will turn to blood.

English Standard Version
Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood.

Berean Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.

King James Bible
Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I am going to strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned into blood.

NASB 1995
‘Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood.

NASB 1977
‘Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it shall be turned to blood.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus says Yahweh, “By this you shall know that I am Yahweh: behold, I am about to strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood.

Amplified Bible
Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know and recognize and acknowledge that I am the LORD: look, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water in the Nile, and it shall be turned to blood.

Christian Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: Here is how you will know that I am the LORD. Watch. I am about to strike the water in the Nile with the staff in my hand, and it will turn to blood.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This is what Yahweh says: Here is how you will know that I am Yahweh. Watch. I will strike the water in the Nile with the staff in my hand, and it will turn to blood.

American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

Contemporary English Version
"The LORD is going to do something to show you that he really is the LORD. I will strike the Nile with this stick, and the water will turn into blood.

English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Here is what the LORD says: This is the way you will recognize that I am the LORD: With this staff in my hand, I'm going to strike the Nile, and the water will turn into blood.

Good News Translation
Now, Your Majesty, the LORD says that you will find out who he is by what he is going to do. Look, I am going to strike the surface of the river with this stick, and the water will be turned into blood.

International Standard Version
"'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 with the staff that's in my hand, and it will be turned to blood.

Majority Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.

NET Bible
Thus says the LORD: "By this you will know that I am the LORD: I am going to strike the water of the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned into blood.

New Heart English Bible
Thus says the LORD, "In this you shall know that I am the LORD. Look, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

World English Bible
Yahweh says, “In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold: I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Thus said YHWH: By this you know that I [am] YHWH; behold, I am striking with the rod which [is] in my hand, on the waters which [are] in the River, and they have been turned to blood,

Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah: By this thou knowest that I am Jehovah; lo, I am smiting with the rod which is in my hand, on the waters which are in the River, and they have been turned to blood,

Smith's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah: Behold me smiting with the rod which is in my hand upon the waters that in the river, and they were turned into blood.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus therefore saith the Lord: In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold I will strike with the rods that is in my hand, the water of the river, and it shall be turned into blood.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, thus says the Lord: In this you will know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike, with the staff that is in my hand, the water of the river, and it will be turned into blood.

New American Bible
Thus says the LORD: This is how you will know that I am the LORD. With the staff here in my hand, I will strike the water in the Nile and it will be changed into blood.

New Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD.” See, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned to blood.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thus says the LORD, By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike upon the waters of the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Thus says LORD JEHOVAH: “In this you will know that I AM LORD JEHOVAH; behold, I strike with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters that are in the river and they shall be turned and they shall become blood.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
thus saith the LORD: In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD--behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
These things saith the Lord: Hereby shalt thou know that I am the Lord: behold, I strike with the rod that is in my hand on the water which is in the river, and it shall change it into blood.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The First Plague: Blood
16Then say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me in the wilderness. But you have not listened until now. 17This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood. 18The fish in the Nile will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink its water.’ ”…

Cross References
Revelation 16:4
And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood.

Psalm 78:44
He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.

Psalm 105:29
He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die.

John 2:7-9
Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. / “Now draw some out,” He said, “and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, / and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside

Revelation 11:6
These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

2 Timothy 3:8
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.

Acts 7:36
He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.

Hebrews 11:29
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.

2 Peter 2:9
if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

Revelation 8:8
Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood,

Ezekiel 29:3
Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’

Isaiah 19:5-6
The waters of the Nile will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and empty. / The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither.

Jeremiah 46:25
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.

Joel 3:18
And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will run with water, and a spring will flow from the house of the LORD to water the Valley of Acacias.

Zechariah 14:8
And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.


Treasury of Scripture

Thus said the LORD, In this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

thou shalt

Exodus 7:5
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

Exodus 5:2
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

Exodus 6:7
And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

and they

Exodus 1:22
And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Exodus 4:9
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

Psalm 78:44
And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

Jump to Previous
Blood Changed Hand Nile River Rod Smite Smiting Staff Strike Touch Turned Water Waters
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Blood Changed Hand Nile River Rod Smite Smiting Staff Strike Touch Turned Water Waters
Exodus 7
1. Moses and Aaron are encouraged to go again to Pharaoh
8. Aaron's rod is turned into a serpent
11. The sorcerers do the like; but their rods are swallowed up by Aaron's
13. Pharaoh's heart is hardened
14. God's message to Pharaoh
19. The river is turned into blood; and the consequent distress of the Egyptians














This is what the LORD says:
This phrase introduces a divine declaration, emphasizing the authority and sovereignty of God. It is a common prophetic formula used throughout the Old Testament, signifying that the message is not from a human source but from God Himself. This underscores the importance and certainty of the forthcoming action.

By this you will know that I am the LORD:
The purpose of the miracle is to reveal God's identity and power. In the context of the plagues, it serves as a direct challenge to the Egyptian pantheon, particularly the gods associated with the Nile. This phrase highlights God's desire for recognition and acknowledgment from both the Israelites and Egyptians. It echoes the theme of divine self-revelation found throughout Scripture, such as in Ezekiel 6:7 and 1 Kings 18:37.

Behold, with the staff in my hand:
The staff is a symbol of authority and divine power. Moses' staff, used in various miracles, represents God's intervention in human affairs. The staff's use here connects to earlier biblical narratives, such as Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush (Exodus 4:2-4), where the staff was first transformed into a serpent. It prefigures the authority of Christ, who performs miracles by divine power.

I will strike the water of the Nile:
The Nile River was the lifeblood of Egypt, central to its agriculture, economy, and religion. Striking the Nile symbolizes a direct assault on the heart of Egyptian life and their deities, such as Hapi, the god of the Nile. This act demonstrates God's supremacy over creation and false gods, similar to Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18.

and it will turn to blood:
The transformation of water into blood is a miraculous sign of judgment. It foreshadows the first plague and serves as a precursor to the ultimate judgment on Egypt. This act of turning water into blood is reminiscent of the blood of Christ, which signifies both judgment and redemption. The imagery of blood is significant throughout the Bible, symbolizing life, covenant, and atonement, as seen in Leviticus 17:11 and Hebrews 9:22.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who demonstrates His power and sovereignty over creation and the gods of Egypt.

2. Moses
The prophet and leader chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. He acts as God's spokesperson to Pharaoh.

3. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt, whose heart is hardened against releasing the Israelites, setting the stage for God's miraculous signs.

4. The Nile River
A vital water source for Egypt, symbolizing life and prosperity. Its transformation into blood signifies God's judgment and power over Egyptian deities.

5. The Plague of Blood
The first of ten plagues, serving as a divine sign to Pharaoh and Egypt of God's supreme authority.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty
God demonstrates His ultimate authority over nature and false gods. Believers can trust in His power to intervene in their lives.

Judgment and Mercy
The plagues serve as both judgment on Egypt and a call to repentance. God's actions are just, and His mercy is available to those who turn to Him.

Obedience to God's Commands
Moses' obedience in delivering God's message to Pharaoh is a model for believers to faithfully carry out God's instructions, even in the face of opposition.

The Hardness of Heart
Pharaoh's hardened heart serves as a warning against resisting God's will. Believers should remain open and responsive to God's leading.

God's Faithfulness to His Promises
The plagues are part of God's fulfillment of His promise to deliver Israel. Believers can rely on God's faithfulness to His word.(17) In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord.--See the comment on Exodus 7:5.

The rod that is in my hand, i.e., "in the hand of my servant." God is here represented as about to do that which was actually done by Aaron (Exodus 7:20). "Qui facit per alium, facit per se."

Verse 17. - In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Pharaoh had declared on the occasion specially referred to, "I know not Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go" (Exodus 5:2). He is now told that he shall "know Jehovah" in the coming visitation; he shall know, i.e., that there is a great and truly existent God who controls nature, does as he will even with the Nile, which the Egyptians regarded as a great deity; and can turn, if he see fit, the greatest blessings into curses. Behold, I will smite. God here speaks of the acts of Moses and Aaron as his own acts, and of their hands as his hand, because they were mere instruments through which he worked. The Roman law said: "Qui facit per alium, tacit per se." The waters... shall be turned to blood. Not simply, "shall be of the colour of blood," as Rosenmuller paraphrases, but shall become and be, to all intents and purposes, blood. It is idle to ask whether the water would have answered to all the modern tests, microscopic and other, by which blood is known. The question cannot be answered. An that we are entitled to conclude from the words of the text is, that the water had all the physical appearance the look, taste, smell, texture of blood: and hence, that it was certainly not merely discoloured by the red soil of Abyssinia, nor by cryptegamic plants and infusoria. Water thus changed would neither kill fish, nor "stink," nor be utterly undrinkable.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
This is what
כֹּ֚ה (kōh)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the LORD
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

says:
אָמַ֣ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

By this
בְּזֹ֣את (bə·zōṯ)
Preposition-b | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

you will know
תֵּדַ֔ע (tê·ḏa‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

that
כִּ֖י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I
אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am the LORD.
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

Behold,
הִנֵּ֨ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

with the staff
בַּמַּטֶּ֣ה (bam·maṭ·ṭeh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

in my hand
בְּיָדִ֗י (bə·yā·ḏî)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

I
אָנֹכִ֜י (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

will strike
מַכֶּ֣ה ׀ (mak·keh)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

the water
הַמַּ֛יִם (ham·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

of the Nile,
בַּיְאֹ֖ר (bay·’ōr)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2975: Nile -- a channel, a fosse, canal, shaft, the Nile, the Tigris

and it will turn
וְנֶהֶפְכ֥וּ (wə·ne·hep̄·ḵū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert

to blood.
לְדָֽם׃ (lə·ḏām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed


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OT Law: Exodus 7:17 Thus says Yahweh In this you shall (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 7:16
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