Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water. Stand on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that turned into a serpent. And you shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness.” But so far, you have not obeyed. Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood. The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile.”’” And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, so that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”
Comment: Amazing! Apparently the Egyptian magicians had some real powers and arts. Their staffs became snake – but it surely must must have made Pharaoh’s heart have a few abnormal beats when Aaron’s staff ate the magicians’ snakes. But Pharaoh’s heart was not moved and throwing them out of his court he continued walking his own self-determined way, but only until the next morning!
God leads Moses and Aaron the next morning to the river bank where they meet Pharaoh no doubt there for his daily bath and ablutions. Moses says what God has ordered him to speak to Pharaoh, whose heart is still stone towards God and Moses’ words. All the water, but not only in the Nile, in pools, pots and pans turns to blood and to death for the fish. What will Pharaoh do now?
Prayer: Thank You that Your Word does tell us how to walk in a way that pleases You. Help me to walk in Your Way constantly.
As I read it! 