Exodus 7:18

18 And the fish that [is] in the river shall die, and the river shall be offensive in smell; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.

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 thou shalt say to him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me to thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that [is] in my hand upon the waters which [are] in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

18 And the fish that [is] in the river shall die, and the river shall be offensive in smell; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.

19 And the LORD spoke to Moses, Say to Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood: and [that] there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in [vessels of] wood, and in [vessels of] stone.

20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod and smote the waters that [were] in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that [were] in the river were turned into blood.