Focused Passage

Exodus 7:8-13

The LORD Begins to Answer Pharaoh: Signs, Hardening, and the Nile Turned to Blood

The LORD defines Moses’ and Aaron’s roles, foretells Pharaoh’s hardened resistance, authenticates His messengers with the staff sign, and begins judgment by turning the Nile to blood.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

9“When Pharaoh tells you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ you are to say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a serpent.”

10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent.

11But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts.

12Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.

13Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

The LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionMosesמֹשֶׁ֥הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְאֶֽל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand Aaronאַהֲרֹ֖ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 9

Original words

Whenכִּי֩H3588ConjunctionPharaohפַּרְעֹה֙H6547Noun - proper - masculine singulartells youיְדַבֵּ֨רH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֲלֵכֶ֤םH413Preposition | second person masculine pluralלֵאמֹ֔רלֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructPerformתְּנ֥וּH5414Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plurala miracleמוֹפֵ֑תH4159Noun - masculine singularyou are to sayוְאָמַרְתָּ֣H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular. . .אֶֽל־H413Prepositionto Aaronאַהֲרֹ֗ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singularTakeקַ֧חH3947Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markeryour staffמַטְּךָ֛H4294Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularand throw it downוְהַשְׁלֵ֥ךְH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularbeforeלִפְנֵֽי־H6440Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural constructPharaohפַרְעֹ֖הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singular[and] it {will} becomeיְהִ֥יH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singulara serpentלְתַנִּֽין׃H8577Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew tannin; here and in verse 10, in contrast to Moses’ staff, which became a nachash in Exodus 4:3 and was noted again in Exodus 7:15
Verse 10

Original words

So Mosesמֹשֶׁ֤הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularand Aaronוְאַהֲרֹן֙H175Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularwentוַיָּבֹ֨אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionPharaohפַּרְעֹ֔הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singularand didוַיַּ֣עַשׂוּH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .כֵ֔ןH3651Adverbjust asכַּאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhad commandedצִוָּ֣הH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularAaronאַהֲרֹ֜ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthrewוַיַּשְׁלֵ֨ךְH7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis staff {down}מַטֵּ֗הוּH4294Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularbeforeלִפְנֵ֥יH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructPharaohפַרְעֹ֛הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וְלִפְנֵ֥יH6440Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructand his officialsעֲבָדָ֖יוH5650Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand it becameוַיְהִ֥יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulara serpentלְתַנִּֽין׃H8577Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

But Pharaohפַּרְעֹ֔הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singularגַּם־גַּם־H1571Conjunctioncalledוַיִּקְרָא֙H7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe wise menלַֽחֲכָמִ֖יםH2450Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine pluraland sorcerersוְלַֽמְכַשְּׁפִ֑יםH3784Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluraland magiciansחַרְטֻמֵּ֥יH2748Noun - masculine plural constructof Egyptמִצְרַ֛יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularand theyהֵ֜םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralalsoגַם־H1571Conjunctiondidוַיַּֽעֲשׂ֨וּH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe same thingsכֵּֽן׃H3651Adverbby their magic artsבְּלַהֲטֵיהֶ֖םH3814Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 12

Original words

Eachאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularone threw downוַיַּשְׁלִ֙יכוּ֙H7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralhis staffמַטֵּ֔הוּH4294Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand it becameוַיִּהְי֖וּH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plurala serpentלְתַנִּינִ֑םH8577Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluralBut Aaron’sאַהֲרֹ֖ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerstaffמַטֵּֽה־H4294Noun - masculine singular constructswallowed upוַיִּבְלַ֥עH1104Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular[the other] staffsמַטֹּתָֽם׃H4294Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 13

Original words

Still, Pharaoh’sפַּרְעֹ֔הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singularheartלֵ֣בH3820Noun - masculine singular constructwas hardenedוַיֶּחֱזַק֙H2388Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand he would notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelistenשָׁמַ֖עH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularto themאֲלֵהֶ֑םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluraljust asכַּאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָֽה׃פH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhad saidדִּבֶּ֥רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or stiffened or strengthened; also in verse 22

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.