Bible Strands
Psalms 105:29
He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist recounts God’s past judgments against Egypt, placing this event between the judgment of darkness and the judgment of frogs.
The words — The Hebrew verb הָפַךְ (ha.Fakh) literally means "he turned," while וַיָּמֶת (va/i.Ya.met) means "he caused to die," describing the direct transformation of the waters and the subsequent death of the fish.
The thread — This judgment echoes the plague account in Exodus 7:20, reappears in the historical recital of Psalms 78:44, and finds a typological parallel in the second bowl judgment of Revelation 16:3.
Why it lands — The text records God’s sovereign power to alter creation and execute judgment on Egypt. It requires the reader to acknowledge that historical events are direct manifestations of divine authority rather than random natural occurrences.
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
He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.
Cross-references
- Exodus 7:20 Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood.
- Psalms 78:44 He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.
- Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it turned to blood like that of the dead, and every living thing in the sea died.
- Isaiah 50:2 Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.
- Ezekiel 29:4 But I will put hooks in your jaws and cause the fish of your streams to cling to your scales. I will haul you up out of your rivers, and all the fish of your streams will cling to your scales.