Exodus 7:1-7

1 The LORD said unto Moses, See, I have constituted thee as god unto Pharaoh; and Aaron, thy brother, shall be thy prophet.

2 Thou shalt speak all that I shall command thee; and Aaron, thy brother, shall speak unto Pharaoh that he send the sons of Israel out of his land.

3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

4 And Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, but I shall lay my hand upon Egypt and bring forth my hosts, and my people, the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from among them.

6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.

7 And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke unto Pharaoh.

Exodus 7:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 7

Moses and Aaron are ordered to go to Pharaoh, and require the dismission of the people of Israel, but they are told before hand that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened, and would refuse to let them go, until the hand of the Lord was stretched out, and great judgments were brought down upon, Egypt, and then they should come forth, Ex 7:1-5, which orders Moses and Aaron obeyed, and their age is observed, when this was done, Ex 7:6,7 and they are bid to work a miracle, when Pharaoh should demand one, by turning a rod into a serpent, which they did; but Pharaoh's magicians doing the same in appearance, his heart was hardened, Ex 7:8-14 and then they are directed to meet him at the river, and require the same as before; and if he refused, to smite the waters of the river with the rod, and turn them into blood, which they did, Ex 7:15-21, but Pharaoh's magicians doing the same by enchantments, he did not regard it, though the plague lasted seven days, Ex 7:22-25.