Exodus 7:17

17 Therefore the Lord saith these things, In this thou shalt know, that I am the Lord; lo! I shall smite with the rod, that is in mine hand, the water of the flood, and it shall be turned into blood (lo! I shall strike the water of this River with the staff, that is in my hand, and that water shall be turned into blood);

Exodus 7:17 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 7:17

Thus saith the Lord, in this thou shalt know that I am the
Lord
By the following instance of his power and vengeance:

behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand;
which though in the hand of Moses, ( Exodus 7:18 ) yet he being his ambassador, and representing him, is said to be in the hand of the Lord; and with this he threatens to smite

upon the waters which are in the river;
the river Nile, and the canals thereof:

and they shall be turned to blood;
and if this river was their god, it would abundantly appear that the God of the Hebrews was Jehovah, and above all gods, and particularly above theirs.

Exodus 7:17 In-Context

15 go thou to him early; lo! he shall go out to the waters, and thou shalt stand in the coming of him on the brink of the flood; and thou shalt take in thine hand the rod, that was turned into a dragon, (and so go thou early to him; lo! he shall go out to the waters, and thou shalt meet him on the river bank; and thou shalt take in thy hand the staff, that was turned into a serpent,)

16 and thou shalt say to him, The Lord God of Hebrews sent me to thee, and said, Deliver thou my people, that it make sacrifice to me in desert; and till to this present time thou wouldest not hear. (and thou shalt say to him, The Lord God of the Hebrews sent me to thee, and said, Let my people go, so that they can worship me in the wilderness; and until this time thou hast not listened to him.)

17 Therefore the Lord saith these things, In this thou shalt know, that I am the Lord; lo! I shall smite with the rod, that is in mine hand, the water of the flood, and it shall be turned into blood (lo! I shall strike the water of this River with the staff, that is in my hand, and that water shall be turned into blood);

18 and the fishes that be in the flood shall die; and the waters shall wax rotten, and the Egyptians drinking the water of the flood shall be tormented. (and the fish that be in the River shall die; and the waters shall grow rotten, and the Egyptians shall not be able to drink any water from this River.)

19 Also the Lord said to Moses, Say thou to Aaron, Take thy rod, and hold forth thine hand on the waters of Egypt, and on the floods of them, and on the streams of them, and on the marshes, and on all the lakes of waters, that those be turned into blood; and blood be in all the land of Egypt, as well in vessels of wood, as of stone. (And the Lord said to Moses, Say thou to Aaron, Take thy staff, and stretch forth thy hand over the waters of Egypt, yea, over the rivers, and the streams, and the marshes, and all the lakes, so that they all be turned into blood; and then blood shall be in all the land of Egypt, and even in wooden vessels, and in stone vessels.)