Exodus 7

The chapter moves from the divine decree of judgment to the verification of that judgment through signs, demonstrating that the LORD's command is authoritative and His judgments are inescapable.

• I will harden Pharaoh's heart (v. 3)
• I will multiply my signs and my wonders (v. 3)
• I will lay my hand upon Egypt (v. 4)
• I will smite with the rod (v. 17)

• See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh (v. 1)
• Speak all that I command thee (v. 2)
• Take thy rod (v. 9, 15, 19)
• Let my people go (v. 16)

• The river shall stink, and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water (v. 18)

• The Egyptian reliance on the Nile was central to their civilization; it was considered the source of life and fertility. Turning it to blood was a direct attack on their economy and religious system.
• Egyptian 'magicians' were common in the royal court, and their 'enchantments' reflect a cultural reliance on occultic power to counter perceived threats.

• Pharaoh was viewed as a divine being in Egyptian culture; Moses being made 'a god' [Elohim H430] to him was a radical assertion of the LORD's superior authority.
• The act of smiting the river was a public declaration of the impotence of the Egyptian gods who presided over the Nile.

• This chapter begins the narrative cycle of the ten plagues (Exodus 7-12).
• It establishes the rod [matteh H4294] as the primary symbol of God's authority delegated to Moses and Aaron.

• The use of 'serpent' [tannin H8577] invokes the imagery of the serpent in Genesis 3, contrasting God's control over the creature with the enemy's deception.
• Matthew Henry observes that in turning the Nile to blood, God makes the very object of Egyptian idolatry (the river) the instrument of their suffering, noting: 'That creature which we idolize, God justly takes from us, or makes bitter to us.'

• Psalm 78:44 references this specific event: 'And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.'

• Elohim [H430, God]: In verse 1, the text says Moses is made a 'god' to Pharaoh. This is a superlative use, indicating Moses represents the ultimate Judge/Authority over Pharaoh, not that he is ontologically a deity.
• Qashah [H7185, harden]: Literally to be dense, tough, or severe; used here in the context of Pharaoh's will and intellect (the heart).
• Leb [H3820, heart]: Refers not just to emotions, but to the will, intellect, and center of being.
• Tannin [H8577, serpent]: Translates to 'marine or land monster' or 'dragon', reinforcing that this was no ordinary snake.

• The magicians' ability to copy the signs had limits; they could turn their rods to serpents, but they could not stop the plague of blood, nor could they restore the water.
• The plague of blood lasted seven days, highlighting the endurance of the judgment.
• Pharaoh's reaction to the blood was to 'turn and go into his house' (v. 23), showing a persistent attempt to ignore the Divine sign rather than engage with it.

• Historic Debate: The 'hardening of the heart' [qashah H7185] is a classic theological tension. Reformed/Calvinistic perspectives emphasize God's sovereign decree and control over Pharaoh's obstinacy (citing the text's clear 'I will harden'), while Arminian perspectives argue this hardening follows Pharaoh's own repeated prior choices to reject God's word. The text itself maintains both realities: God states He will harden Pharaoh, and Pharaoh is stated to harden his own heart (v. 13, 22).
• The nature of the magicians' 'enchantments': Scholars debate whether the magicians used sleight-of-hand, demonic illusions, or legitimate supernatural power permitted by God to deceive; the text states they 'did so with their enchantments' (v. 11), suggesting at least a perceived success.