Exodus 7:24 kjv

And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.

Exodus 7:24 nkjv

So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river.

Exodus 7:24 niv

And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river.

Exodus 7:24 esv

And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile.

Exodus 7:24 nlt

Then all the Egyptians dug along the riverbank to find drinking water, for they couldn't drink the water from the Nile.

Exodus 7 verses

Exodus 7 24 Meaning

Exodus 7:24 describes the immediate, widespread and desperate impact of the first plague on the Egyptians. Because the water of the Nile had turned to blood, becoming undrinkable, all Egyptians were forced to undertake strenuous manual labor, digging around the river in a futile attempt to find alternative sources of potable water. This highlights the severity and pervasive nature of God's judgment, directly affecting the daily lives of the entire population and underscoring the impotence of their gods.

Exodus 7 24 Context

Exodus chapter 7 introduces the first of the ten plagues against Egypt. Following Pharaoh's refusal to let the Israelites go and his increasing of their forced labor, God commissions Moses and Aaron to confront Pharaoh once more. Despite a preliminary miracle where Aaron's staff turns into a serpent, Pharaoh remains unmoved and stubborn. As a consequence of Pharaoh's hardened heart and God's determination to display His glory and sovereignty, the first plague, the turning of the Nile River into blood, is unleashed. The Nile was the absolute lifeblood of Egypt, crucial for agriculture, transportation, and daily existence, and revered as a deity, embodying several gods like Hapi and Khnum. This plague directly attacks the heart of Egyptian life and their religious beliefs, rendering their most vital resource deadly. Exodus 7:24 specifically illustrates the widespread panic and desperation among the entire Egyptian population, forced to seek out alternative, less accessible, and presumably less clean, water sources after their sacred and sustaining river became utterly unusable for seven days (Ex 7:25).

Exodus 7 24 Word analysis

• And all the Egyptians: (wǝkhol Miṣrayim - וְכָל־מִצְרַיִם).

  • And (וְ - wǝ): A common conjunction, linking this consequence directly to the preceding events of the plague.
  • all (כָּל - kōl): Emphasizes the universal impact of the plague. It was not localized or affecting only certain segments of society; the entire nation, from Pharaoh downwards, suffered. This demonstrates the comprehensiveness of God's judgment.
  • the Egyptians (מִצְרַיִם - Miṣrayim): Refers to the people of Egypt. The target of God's judgment, as they are holding God's people captive.

• dug (וַיַּחְפְּרוּ - wayyaḥpeərū): From the verb חָפַר (ḥāphar), meaning to dig, search, excavate.

  • Signifies a laborious, physically demanding activity. It speaks of desperation and effort expended out of a vital need for survival. They were not just collecting water, they were actively extracting it, implying shallow wells or depressions.

• around the Nile (סָבִיב לַיְאֹר - sāviv lay'ôr):

  • around (סָבִיב - sāviv): Indicates proximity but also a circumvention. They were forced to search in areas immediately adjacent to their main water source, highlighting the irony that the Nile, so central to their existence, was now unusable.
  • the Nile (הַיְאֹר - hay'ôr): The definitive article points to the specific, renowned river that was the lifeblood of Egypt, central to its economy, and worshipped as a god. Its defilement underscored the impotence of Egyptian deities.

• for water to drink (מַיִם לִשְׁתּוֹת - mayim liš·tōṯ):

  • water (מַיִם - mayim): The basic necessity of life. Its scarcity highlights the severity of the plague.
  • to drink (לִשְׁתּוֹת - liš·tōṯ): The fundamental human need for hydration, now desperately sought.

• for they could not drink (כִּי לֹא־יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּות - kī lōʾ yākhlū liš·tōṯ):

  • for (כִּי - kī): A causal conjunction, explaining the reason for their actions.
  • they could not (לֹא־יָכְלוּ - lōʾ yākhlū): From the verb יָכֹל (yākhōl), meaning "to be able," or "to prevail." The negative implies absolute inability. God had made it utterly impossible for them to drink the Nile's water. This emphasizes God's complete and unchallengeable control over creation.
  • to drink (לִשְׁתֹּות - liš·tōṯ): Repeats the crucial necessity.

• the water of the Nile (מֵי הַיְאֹר - mē hay'ôr):

  • water of the Nile (מֵי הַיְאֹר - mē hay'ôr): Directly states the specific source that was rendered useless, emphasizing the direct judgment upon Egypt's most sacred and vital resource.

Words-group analysis:

• "And all the Egyptians dug": This phrase conveys a scene of universal hardship and immediate, desperate physical effort. It paints a picture of an entire nation collectively engaged in a strenuous activity for basic survival, highlighting the plague's effectiveness and reach.
• "around the Nile for water": This emphasizes the paradox and irony of the situation. Their main, abundant water source, normally accessible, was now defiled. They had to seek a poor substitute right next to it, underscoring the completeness of the plague and the specific target of God's judgment against their reliance on and worship of the Nile.
• "for they could not drink the water of the Nile": This clause provides the crucial causal explanation for their actions, underscoring God's direct agency and power. It asserts God's absolute control, having rendered the very lifeblood of Egypt utterly unusable, leaving no other recourse for survival.

Exodus 7 24 Bonus section

• The term "Nile" (hay'ôr) is frequently used in Exodus for the river itself. Its transformation from a source of life into an abhorrent, bloody mess was a direct challenge to Egyptian cosmology where the Nile was associated with fertility, purity, and life-giving properties attributed to deities like Hapi and Osiris.
• The seven-day duration mentioned in Exodus 7:25 after the strike indicates a persistent, not instantaneous or fleeting, suffering caused by this plague, further magnifying its severity and God's sustained power.
• The Israelites, presumably, had clean water sources provided by God or were supernaturally protected, highlighting God's distinction between His people and the Egyptians even at this early stage of the plagues, a theme that becomes more prominent in subsequent plagues.

Exodus 7 24 Commentary

Exodus 7:24 is a succinct yet powerful description of the practical consequences of the first plague. By stating that "all the Egyptians" dug, it immediately establishes the widespread, non-discriminatory impact of God's judgment. The Nile was not merely a river; it was the giver of life, sustenance, and wealth, revered as a deity itself and home to many gods in the Egyptian pantheon. Turning its water to blood, and thereby making it undrinkable and poisonous to fish (as seen in v.21), directly assailed Egypt's vital resource and religious system. The act of "digging around the Nile" paints a vivid picture of desperate futility, forcing the proud Egyptians to undertake arduous labor for a meager supply of brackish ground water. This serves as a potent demonstration of Yahweh's absolute sovereignty, showcasing His ability to turn Egypt's greatest asset and god into an agent of their suffering and proving the utter impotence of their cherished deities before Him. The plague not only brought physical hardship but profound psychological and spiritual disruption, challenging the very foundation of Egyptian identity and faith, setting the stage for increasing judgment and displaying God's unwavering commitment to Israel's deliverance.