Exodus 7:18

18 the fish in the Nile will die; the Nile will stink; and the Egyptians won't be able to drink the Nile water.'"

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Exodus 7:18 In-Context

16 and say to him, 'God, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you with this message, "Release my people so that they can worship me in the wilderness." So far you haven't listened.

17 This is how you'll know that I am God. I am going to take this staff that I'm holding and strike this Nile River water: The water will turn to blood;

18 the fish in the Nile will die; the Nile will stink; and the Egyptians won't be able to drink the Nile water.'"

19 God said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and wave it over the waters of Egypt - over its rivers, its canals, its ponds, all its bodies of water - so that they turn to blood.' There'll be blood everywhere in Egypt - even in the pots and pans."

20 Moses and Aaron did exactly as God commanded them. Aaron raised his staff and hit the water in the Nile with Pharaoh and his servants watching. All the water in the Nile turned into blood.