Exodus 7
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1Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 3I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring out my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” 6Moses and Aaron did so. As Yahweh commanded them, so they did. 7Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh. 8Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 9“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Perform a miracle!’ then you shall tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.’” 10Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as Yahweh had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments. 12For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken. 14Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go. 15Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand. 16You shall tell 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, until now you haven’t listened. 17Yahweh 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. 18The fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.”’” 19Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’” 20Moses and Aaron did so, as Yahweh commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck 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. 21The fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt. 22The magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken. 23Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he didn’t even take this to heart. 24All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink; for they couldn’t drink the river water. 25Seven days were fulfilled, after Yahweh had struck the river.
World English Bible (public domain)
“But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.”
Exodus 7:3-4
Summary
In Exodus chapter 7, God reaffirms His command to Moses to confront Pharaoh and deliver the message of liberation for the Israelites. God tells Moses that He has hardened Pharaoh's heart, indicating that Pharaoh's resistance is part of His divine plan. This chapter marks the beginning of God's plagues upon Egypt, with Moses and Aaron performing miraculous signs before Pharaoh to demonstrate God's power and authority, but Pharaoh remains obstinate. The first significant sign is Aaron turning his staff into a serpent, which Pharaoh's magicians replicate, demonstrating that while God's power is undeniable, the opposition of evil remains present as Pharaoh's heart is hardened further. The chapter explores themes of authority, divine sovereignty, and human rebellion. The miraculous signs serve not only as a demonstration of God's might but also as a means to demonstrate the futility of opposing God. As Pharaoh continues to resist, God’s plans are set in motion, emphasizing His ultimate control over human affairs. The hardening of Pharaoh's heart presents deep theological reflections on free will and divine purpose, as it signals a struggle not just between Israel and Egypt but between God and false gods. The emphasis on signs and wonders reveals God's desire to show that He is the true God in contrast to the Egyptian deities, thereby reinforcing the theme of redemption and divine intervention in history. This chapter sets the stage for the ensuing plagues, revealing God's method of revealing His sovereignty while simultaneously inviting Pharaoh to respond and repent. The persistence of Pharaoh's disobedience marks the beginning of a profound narrative about judgment and grace visible throughout the biblical story.
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