Exodus 7:20-25

The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood

20 Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he h lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the i water in the Nile turned into blood. 21 And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians j could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 But k the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So l Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as m the Lord had said. 23 Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile.

25 Seven full days passed after the Lord had struck the Nile.

  1. Cross References
    Exodus 17:9
    So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.
  2. Cross References
    Psalms 78:44
    He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams.
    Psalms 105:29
    He turned their waters into blood and caused their fish to die.
  3. Cross References
    Exodus 7:18
    The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile."'
    Exodus 7:24
    And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile.
  4. Cross References
    Exodus 7:11
    Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 7:13
    Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
  6. Cross References
    Exodus 7:3 - 4
    But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.