Shemot 7:17

17 Thus saith Hashem, In this thou shalt know that I am Hashem: hinei, I will strike with the matteh that is in Mine yad upon the mayim which are in the Nile, and they shall be turned to dahm.

Shemot 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.

Shemot 7:17 In-Context

15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the boker; hinei, he goeth out unto the mayim; and thou shalt stand by the bank of the Nile to meet him; and the matteh which was turned to a nachash shalt thou take in thine yad.
16 And thou shalt say unto him, Hashem Elohei HaIvrim hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the midbar: and, hinei, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.
17 Thus saith Hashem, In this thou shalt know that I am Hashem: hinei, I will strike with the matteh that is in Mine yad upon the mayim which are in the Nile, and they shall be turned to dahm.
18 And the dag (fish) that is in the Nile shall die, and the Nile shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the mayim of the Nile.
19 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, Say unto Aharon, Take thy matteh, and stretch out thine yad upon the mayim of Mitzrayim, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their mikveh of mayim, that they may become dahm; and that there may be dahm throughout kol Eretz Mitzrayim, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.