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 7:17KJV
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Exodus 7:17 (KJV)

What does Exodus 7:17 mean?

Exodus 7:17 describes God telling Pharaoh that He will strike the waters of the Nile River with Moses’ staff, turning them into blood, as a sign to show Pharaoh that He is truly the LORD. This act is meant to demonstrate God’s power and authority in a way that Pharaoh cannot ignore.

In this verse, God is speaking through Moses to Pharaoh, warning him about the first plague that will come upon Egypt. The situation is tense: Pharaoh has refused to let the Israelites go, and God is about to act in a dramatic way. The verse highlights that the purpose of this miracle is for Pharaoh to “know” (recognize and acknowledge) that the LORD (יהוה, Yahweh) is the true God, not just another deity among many.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 7:17

  • “LORD” (יהוה, Yahweh): This is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing that the God confronting Pharaoh is not a generic god but the specific, covenant God of Israel.
  • “know” (ידע, yada‘): This word often means more than just intellectual knowledge; it suggests personal recognition or acknowledgment. Here, it signals that the plague is meant to force Pharaoh to personally recognize God’s authority.
  • “smite” (נכה, nakah): This verb means to strike or hit forcefully. The use of this word shows the action is deliberate and powerful, not accidental or gentle.
  • “turned” (הפך, haphak): This word means to change or transform completely. The Nile’s water does not just appear red; it is fundamentally changed into blood, emphasizing the totality of the miracle.

Why Exodus 7:17 matters

  • Exodus 7:17 clarifies that the plagues are not random disasters but purposeful acts meant to reveal God’s identity and power to Pharaoh and Egypt.
  • The verse sets the tone for the rest of the plagues, showing that each one is a direct challenge to Egyptian beliefs and to Pharaoh’s stubbornness.
  • By using the specific name “Yahweh,” the verse connects the miracle to the promises made to the Israelites’ ancestors, underlining that this is the God of their history acting on their behalf.

Where else these words appear

“river” Hebrew H2975 · used in 48 verses

  • Genesis 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
  • Exodus 7:25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
  • Isaiah 37:25 I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.

“turned” Hebrew H2015 · used in 92 verses

  • Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
  • 2 Kings 5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
  • Psalms 114:8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.