< Exodus 7 >

1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
And the Lord said to Moses: “Behold, I have appointed you as the god of Pharaoh. And Aaron, your brother, will be your prophet.
2 You shall speak all that I command you: and Aaron your brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
You will speak to him all that I command you. And he will speak to Pharaoh, so that he may release the sons of Israel from his land.
3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
But I will harden his heart, and I will multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,
4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
and he will not listen to you. And I will send my hand over Egypt, and I will lead my army and my people, the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt, through very great judgments.
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.
And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, who has extended my hand over Egypt, and who has led the sons of Israel from their midst.”
6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
And so, Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had instructed. And so it was done.
7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spoke unto Pharaoh.
Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
8 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron:
9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then you shall say unto Aaron, Take your rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
“When Pharaoh will say to you, ‘Show signs,’ you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff, and cast it down before Pharaoh, and it will be turned into a snake.’”
10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
And so Moses and Aaron entered to Pharaoh, and they did just as the Lord had commanded. And Aaron took the staff in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and it was turned into a snake.
11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
Then Pharaoh called the wise men and the sorcerers. And they also, by Egyptian incantations and certain secrets, did similarly.
12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
And each one cast down their staffs, and they were turned into serpents. But the staff of Aaron devoured their staffs.
13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had instructed.
14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuses to let the people go.
Then the Lord said to Moses: “The heart of Pharaoh has been hardened; he is not willing to release the people.
15 Get you unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goes out unto the water; and you shall stand by the river's brink meeting him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shall you take in your hand.
Go to him in the morning; behold, he will go out to the waters. And you will stand to meet him above the bank of the river. And you will take, in your hand, the staff that was turned into a serpent.
16 And you shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews has sent me unto you, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, until now you would not hear.
And you will say to him: ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews sent me to you, saying: Release my people in order to sacrifice to me in the desert. And even until the present time, you were not willing to listen.
17 Thus says the LORD, In this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
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.
18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.
Also, the fishes that are in the river will die, and the waters will be polluted, and the Egyptians will be afflicted when they drink the water of the river.’”
19 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take your rod, and stretch out your hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
The Lord also said to Moses: “Say to Aaron: ‘Take your staff; and extend your hand over the waters of Egypt, and over their rivers and streams and marshes and all the pools of waters, so that they may be turned into blood. And let there be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, as much in vessels of wood as in those of stone.’”
20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and stroke 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.
And Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had instructed. And lifting up the staff, he struck the water of the river in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants. And it was turned into blood.
21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
And the fishes that were in the river died, and the river was polluted, and the Egyptians were not able to drink the water of the river, and there was blood throughout the entire land of Egypt.
22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.
And the sorcerers of the Egyptians, with their incantations, did similarly. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had instructed.
23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.
And he turned himself away, and he entered his house, neither did he apply his heart to this turn of events.
24 And all the Egyptians dug round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
Then all the Egyptians dug along the borders of the river for water to drink. For they were not able to drink from the water of the river.
25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
And seven days were completed, after the Lord struck the river.

< Exodus 7 >