And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
And seven days were fulfilled after the LORD smote the river, giving the length and close of the first plague of blood. During those seven days the Nile and the other water supplies were turned to blood and remained a putrid mass in which all the fish died and which could be used for no purpose. Because the surface water was unusable, the people had to dig wells for water during that time.
The Egyptians worshiped the river as a god because it sustained their lives, supplied drink, watered their land and crops, and supplied fish for food. They also revered its fish as sacred and believed the river and fish had divine power. Pharaoh himself went to the river every morning to praise and thank the water and declare his dependence on its power. Moses smote the water before Pharaoh and his great men, so they saw the water they adored turned to blood. The plague struck the worshiped river as a judgment that exposed those gods as unable to help their worshipers or save themselves and showed Jehovah's supremacy.
Before bringing the plagues, Moses and Aaron were commanded to tell Pharaoh faithfully beforehand the nature and effect of each coming plague, so he would have the privilege of saving himself from it by letting Israel go to sacrifice to God, with warning that refusal would still bring God's judgments. Through all the seven days Pharaoh did not humble himself despite the judgment but hardened his heart.
The miracle did not soften Pharaoh but only increased his hatred of the Israelites. Because his magicians did similar works and imitated the sign, Pharaoh believed the rod becoming a serpent and the river turned to blood were performed by magic and treated the plague as magic rather than as a judgment from God.
And seven days were fulfilled after the LORD smote the river, giving the length and close of the first plague of blood.
During those seven days the Nile and the other water supplies were turned to blood and remained a putrid mass in which all the fish died and which could be used for no purpose.
Because the surface water was unusable, the people had to dig wells for water during that time.
The Egyptians worshiped the river as a god because it sustained their lives, supplied drink, watered their land and crops, and supplied fish for food.
They also revered its fish as sacred and believed the river and fish had divine power.
Pharaoh himself went to the river every morning to praise and thank the water and declare his dependence on its power.
Moses smote the water before Pharaoh and his great men, so they saw the water they adored turned to blood.
The plague struck the worshiped river as a judgment that exposed those gods as unable to help their worshipers or save themselves and showed Jehovah's supremacy.
Before bringing the plagues, Moses and Aaron were commanded to tell Pharaoh faithfully beforehand the nature and effect of each coming plague, so he would have the privilege of saving himself from it by letting Israel go to sacrifice to God, with warning that refusal would still bring God's judgments.
Through all the seven days Pharaoh did not humble himself despite the judgment but hardened his heart.
The miracle did not soften Pharaoh but only increased his hatred of the Israelites.
Because his magicians did similar works and imitated the sign, Pharaoh believed the rod becoming a serpent and the river turned to blood were performed by magic and treated the plague as magic rather than as a judgment from God.