Exodus 7
The Rod That Swallows the Serpents of Egypt
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Moses and Aaron Commissioned
7:1The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
7:2“You shall speak to him everything I command you. Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh so that he will let the sons of Israel leave his land.
7:3“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
7:4“Pharaoh will not listen to you. I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My people, the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt with My power and great vengeance.
7:5“All the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch out My hand over Egypt and bring the sons of Israel out from among them.”
7:6Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them; so they did.
7:7Moses was eighty years old and his brother Aaron eighty-three when he spoke to Pharaoh.
The Staff Becomes a Serpent
7:8The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
7:9“If Pharaoh says to you, ‘Give us a sign or a wonder,’ say to Aaron your brother, ‘Take the staff and throw it on the ground before Pharaoh and his attendants, and it shall become a dragon.’”
7:10Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh and his attendants and did as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff before Pharaoh and his attendants, and it became a dragon.
7:11Pharaoh summoned the wise men of Egypt and the sorcerers. The Egyptian enchanters did the same by their sorceries.
7:12Each threw down his staff, and they became dragons. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.
7:13Pharaoh’s heart grew strong, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said to them.
The First Plague: Water to Blood
7:14The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart has become heavy, so that he will not let the people go.
7:15“Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the water. Stand on the riverbank to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent.
7:16“Say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go so that they may serve Me in the wilderness.” Until now you have not listened.
7:17“‘Thus says the Lord: “By this you shall know that I am the Lord: with the staff in My hand I will strike the water in the river, and it will turn to blood.
7:18“‘“The fish in the river will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink its water.”’”
7:19The Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron your brother, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over Egypt’s waters, its rivers, canals, marshes, and all its standing water, and it shall become blood.’” And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt, in wood and in stone.
7:20Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. He raised his staff and struck the river’s water before Pharaoh and his attendants, and all the water in the river turned to blood.
7:21The fish in the river died, and the river stank. The Egyptians could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.
7:22The Egyptian enchanters did the same by their sorceries. Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
7:23Pharaoh turned and went into his house and did not set his mind even on this.
7:24All the Egyptians dug around the river to drink water, and they could not drink water from the river.
7:25Seven days passed after the Lord struck the river.
The Second Plague: Frogs
7:26The Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: Let My people go so that they may serve Me.
7:27“‘If you are unwilling to let them go, behold, I will strike your whole territory with frogs.
7:28“‘The river will pour forth frogs. They will come up into your houses and sleeping chambers and onto your beds; into the houses of your attendants and people, into your dough and ovens.
7:29“‘The frogs will come up upon you, your attendants, and your people.’”
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.