Bible Strands
Exodus 7:21
The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Aaron strikes the Nile with his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, executing the LORD's command to turn the river's water to blood. This moment occurs immediately after Moses and Aaron carry out the directive, initiating the first plague.
The words — The Hebrew דָּגָה (da.Gah) refers to the fish population, while מֵתָה (me.tah) states that these creatures died. The verb יִבְאַשׁ (yiv.'Ash) describes the river's subsequent stench, which rendered the water undrinkable.
The thread — The event fulfills the specific warning recorded in Exodus 7:18 regarding the death of river fish and the river's foul odor. A structural parallel appears in Revelation 8:9, which notes a third of the sea's living creatures dying during a later judgment.
Why it lands — The text reports that the river's biological and physical state was directly altered to block Egyptian access to water. It requires the reader to acknowledge that natural resources remain subject to sovereign intervention rather than independent function.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
Cross-references
- Exodus 7:18 The fish in the Nile will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink its water.’”
- Revelation 8:9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.