Exodus 7:17 kjv

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.

Exodus 7:17 nkjv

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.

Exodus 7:17 niv

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.

Exodus 7:17 esv

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.

Exodus 7:17 nlt

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.

Exodus 7 verses

Exodus 7 17 Meaning

Exodus 7:17 declares that the impending plague upon the Nile, turning its waters to blood, serves as a direct, irrefutable demonstration of God's sovereign power. Through this powerful sign, both the Egyptians and Pharaoh will be compelled to acknowledge the unique and supreme authority of Yahweh, the God of Israel. It asserts His unparalleled power over all creation and, implicitly, over all other gods worshipped in Egypt.

Exodus 7 17 Context

Exodus chapter 7 introduces the dramatic confrontation between Moses, representing Yahweh, and Pharaoh, who epitomizes both the divine-king and the chief obstacle to God's will. Moses and Aaron have previously performed signs (the staff becoming a snake) which Pharaoh's magicians could replicate, hardening Pharaoh's heart further. This verse (Ex 7:17) directly precedes the first of the ten plagues – the transformation of the Nile River into blood. This plague, also known as the "Plague of Blood" (or Dam), marks a turning point in God's strategy. No longer are the signs simply about personal conviction, but about public, unmistakable divine judgment, targeting the very lifelines and gods of Egypt.

Historically and culturally, ancient Egypt profoundly depended on the Nile River. It was their source of water, food (fish), transportation, and fertile land. The Nile itself was deified, worshipped as the god Hapi, who provided fertility and life. Pharaoh was also seen as a god, son of Ra, and mediator between gods and humans. This verse and the ensuing plague represent a direct assault on the fundamental worldview and religious framework of Egypt. By turning the Nile into blood, God targets the very heart of Egyptian life and their pantheon of deities, demonstrating His ultimate superiority. It serves as a clear polemic against the supposed powerlessness of Egyptian gods and the false deity of Pharaoh.

Exodus 7 17 Word analysis

• "Thus" (כֹּה - koh): Signifies "in this manner" or "in this way." It points forward to the action immediately following, indicating that the upcoming miraculous event is the specific method by which God's revelation will occur.
• "says the Lord" (אמר יהוה - amar YHWH): Reinforces that the entire act is by divine command and authority, not by Moses' or Aaron's independent power. YHWH is God's covenant name, signifying His eternal, self-existent, and active presence. The very mention of this name is a direct challenge to the authority of Pharaoh and Egyptian gods.
• "By this" (בְּזֹאת - bə-zot): Points to the specific action that will follow—the turning of the Nile to blood. This sign is the instrument of revelation.
• "you shall know" (תֵדַע - te·ḏaʿ): From the verb יָדַע (yada), meaning to "know" in a deep, experiential, and conclusive sense, not merely intellectual awareness. It implies recognition and acknowledgement. Pharaoh and the Egyptians will come to know Yahweh not by hearsay, but by His tangible demonstration of power. This knowledge compels a response.
• "that I am the Lord" (כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה - kî-ʾănî YHWH): The core revelation. It is an affirmation of exclusive sovereignty and identity. "I am Yahweh" is a statement of divine existence, self-sufficiency, and power over all. It’s a statement of incomparable deity.
• "Behold," (הִנֵּה - hinnêh): An interjection that draws immediate attention to what follows, emphasizing its importance and certainty.
• "I will strike" (מַכֶּה - makkəh): Participle form, implying an active, ongoing, or impending action of judgment. It signifies a forceful, direct blow or smiting.
• "the water that is in the Nile" (הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר - ha·mayim ʾăšer ba·yəʾōr): Specifically targets the lifeblood of Egypt, the Nile River (yeʾōr), which Egyptians worshipped as the god Hapi and believed supplied all their needs.
• "with the staff" (בַּמַּטֶּה - bammaṭṭeh): The instrument of God's power wielded by Moses. This staff had previously turned into a serpent and served as a tangible link between Moses' actions and God's authority. It wasn't the staff itself that possessed power, but God acting through it.
• "that is in my hand" (אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדִי - ʾăšer bə·yaḏî): Further emphasizes Moses' role as the divinely appointed agent.
• "and it will be turned to blood" (וְנֶהְפְּכוּ לְדָם - wə·nehpəḵû lə·ḏām): The shocking and devastating transformation. Blood is often associated with defilement and death in the Old Testament, representing the antithesis of life-giving water. This action would render the Nile undrinkable, deadly to its fish, and an abomination to the Egyptians.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Thus says the Lord: 'By this you shall know that I am the Lord!'": This opening clause establishes the divine origin and purpose of the plague. It's a declarative statement of theological revelation. The "you" is addressed primarily to Pharaoh, and by extension, to all of Egypt. This revelation is compulsory, experienced through divine power, proving Yahweh's unique identity.
• "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.": This section details the specific act that will serve as the "this" (בְּזֹאת) through which God's identity is revealed. It clearly identifies the target (the Nile), the instrument (Moses' staff), and the miraculous, devastating outcome (turned to blood). This is a direct attack on Egypt's religious and economic stability.

Exodus 7 17 Bonus section

The Hebrew word for "Nile" (yeʾōr) is almost exclusively used in the Old Testament to refer to the Nile River or other streams/canals of Egypt, distinguishing it from general rivers or wadis. Its specific usage here further emphasizes the direct targeting of Egypt's very lifeforce. The turning of the water to blood not only made it undrinkable but also destroyed the fish, leading to an immediate collapse of the Egyptian diet, hygiene, and economy. This demonstrated God's control not just over life and death, but over all aspects of their society. This plague served as a prophetic pattern for future judgments where God demonstrates His power over elements previously worshipped or taken for granted by mankind (e.g., in Revelation, where water also turns to blood, pointing to God's universal judgment).

Exodus 7 17 Commentary

Exodus 7:17 serves as the interpretive key for the first plague, setting the stage for the nine that follow. God's purpose is not merely punitive, but revelatory. The plague on the Nile, transforming it from a symbol of life and a revered deity (Hapi) into an emblem of death and corruption (blood), underscores God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His unique claim to deity. It exposes the emptiness of Egypt's polytheistic worship and their false gods. Pharaoh had earlier scoffed, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice...?" (Ex 5:2). This verse is God's thunderous reply. The phrase "you shall know that I am the Lord" recurs throughout the plague narratives and in future judgments against Israel and the nations, emphasizing the experiential, often humbling, process by which both the redeemed and the unredeemed come to acknowledge God's ultimate power. This plague demonstrated that what the Egyptians revered as a source of life and worship, God could easily turn into a source of death and defilement. It established His control over their perceived sustenance and showed His power even in something as mundane as their drinking water, leaving them without defense against the true God.