Then the Lord said to Moses: Pharaoh is obstinate in refusing to let the people go. 15 In the morning, just when he sets out for the water, go to Pharaoh and present yourself by the bank of the Nile, holding in your hand the staff that turned into a snake. 16 Say to him: The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you with the message: Let my people go to serve me in the wilderness. But as yet you have not listened. 17 Thus says the Lord: This is how you will know that I am the Lord. With the staff here in my hand, I will strike the water in the Nile and it will be changed into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile will die, and the Nile itself will stink so that the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from the Nile. 19 The Lord then spoke to Moses: Speak to Aaron: Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—its streams, its canals, its ponds, and all its supplies of water—that they may become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the wooden pails and stone jars. 20 This, then, is what Moses and Aaron did, exactly as the Lord had commanded. Aaron raised his staff and struck the waters in the Nile in full view of Pharaoh and his servants, and all the water in the Nile was changed into blood. 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the Nile itself stank so that the Egyptians could not drink water from it. There was blood throughout the land of Egypt. 22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same by their magic arts. So Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. 23 Pharaoh turned away and went into his house, with no concern even for this. 24 All the Egyptians had to dig round about the Nile for drinking water, since they could not drink any water from the Nile.
God promised to deliver Israel with “mighty acts of judgment” (Ex. 6:6) and this first plague signals the beginning of God’s salvific action to deliver His people. The purpose of this plague, as stated in Exodus 7:17, is for Pharaoh to "know that I am the LORD." The Nile, a source of life and sustenance for Egypt, is turned into a source of death and pollution, demonstrating that the true source of life is not nature or Egypt’s gods, but the God of Israel. The Nile was considered sacred and associated with Egyptian deities like Hapi, the god of the river. By striking the Nile, God challenges and judges the false gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12). Turning water into blood symbolizes God’s absolute control over creation, as seen elsewhere in Scripture. The plague is also a test of Pharaoh’s resistance to God’s will, revealing the hardness of his heart and the futility of his rebellion against divine authority.
Pharaoh's response in Exodus 7:22 highlights his hardened heart, a recurring theme throughout the plagues. This hardening illustrates human resistance to God’s will. While Pharaoh’s resistance showcases human defiance, the narrative also underscores the tension between divine sovereignty and human freedom. God uses Pharaoh’s stubbornness for His purpose, as Paul reflects in Romans 9:17–18, emphasizing that God’s power is revealed even through human opposition.
Blood is a sign of judgment and redemption. In Revelation 16:3–6, the waters turning to blood is a sign of God’s end-time judgment. Conversely, blood also signifies redemption, prefiguring the blood of Christ, which cleanses from sin (Hebrews 9:12–14). Just as the Nile’s transformation symbolizes both judgment and the possibility of redemption, Jesus’ crucifixion embodies both. On the cross, Jesus takes upon Himself the judgment due to sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and offers His blood as the means of redemption (Eph. 1:7).
The miracle of Jesus turning water into wine at Cana (John 2:1–11) serves as a New Testament parallel and fulfillment of the first plague. While the plague in Exodus represents judgment, Jesus’ miracle represents blessing, abundance, and the inauguration of the New Covenant. This contrast highlights the transformative nature of Christ’s mission—moving from judgment to grace and abundance in the New Covenant.
In contrast to the Nile turned into blood, Jesus presents Himself as the source of "living water" in John 4:14, offering eternal life and salvation rather than death. This contrast emphasizes the life-giving and redemptive nature of Christ’s mission, which fulfills the promise of liberation prefigured in the Exodus.
Almighty God, You revealed Your power in Egypt, turning the Nile into blood, to show that You alone are Lord. In Jesus Christ, You turned judgment into redemption, offering us the life-giving water of salvation through His blood. Open our hearts to Your will so that we may trust in Your sovereignty and receive the abundance of Your grace. This we pray through the same Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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