Exodus 7:18

18 And the fishe that is in the riuer shall dye, and the riuer shall stinke: so that it shall greue the Egiptias to drinke of the water of the ryuer.

Exodus 7:18 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 7:18

And the fish that is in the river shall die
Their element being changed, and they not able to live in any other but water:

and the river shall stink;
with the blood, into which it should be congealed, and with the putrefied bodies of fishes floating in it:

and the Egyptians shall loath to drink of the water of the river;
the very colour of it, looking like blood, would set them against it, and create a nausea in them; or "shall be weary" ^F8, tired of drinking it in a little time, through the loathsomeness of it; or be weary in digging about it, ( Exodus 7:24 ) to get some clear water to drink of; or in seeking to find out ways and methods to cure the waters, that so they might be fit to drink of, as Jarchi interprets it.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F8 (waln) "delassabuntur", Tigurine version, Vatablus. "Defatigabuntur", Cartwright.

Exodus 7:18 In-Context

16 And saye vnto him: the Lorde God of the Hebrues hath sente me vnto the saynge: let my people goo, that they maye serue me in the wildernes: but hither to thou woldest not heare.

17 wherfore thus sayth the Lorde: hereby thou shalt knowe that I am the Lord. Behold, I will smyte with the staffe that is in myne hand apon the waters that are in the ryuer, and they shall turne to bloude.

18 And the fishe that is in the riuer shall dye, and the riuer shall stinke: so that it shall greue the Egiptias to drinke of the water of the ryuer.

19 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses, saye vnto Aaron: take thy staffe and stretch out thyne hande ouer the waters of Egipte, ouer their streames, ryuers, pondes and all pooles off water, that they maye be bloude, and that there may be bloude in all the lande of Egipte: both in vessells of wodd and also of stone.

20 And Moses and Aaron dyd euen as the Lorde commaunded. And he lifte vp the staffe and smote the waters that were in the riuer, in the syghte of Pharao and in the syghte of his servauntes, and all the water that was in the ryuer, turned in to bloude.