⁹“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Give me a sign to prove that God has sent you,’ tell Aaron, ‘Take your shepherd’s staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh,’ and it will become a large snake.”

¹⁰Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a large snake. ¹¹Then Pharaoh sent for his wise men and sorcerers. These Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic spells. ¹²Each of them threw his staff down, and they all became large snakes. But Aaron’s staff swallowed theirs. ¹³Yet, Pharaoh continued to be stubborn and would not listen to them, as the Lord had predicted.

The First Plague—the Nile River Turns Into Blood

¹⁴Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh is being stubborn. He refuses to let my people go. ¹⁵In the morning meet Pharaoh when he’s on his way to the Nile. Wait for him on the bank of the river. Take along the staff that turned into a snake. ¹⁶Say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews sent me to tell you, “Let my people go to worship me in the desert.” So far you have not listened. ¹⁷Here is what the Lord says: This is the way you will recognize that I am the Lord: With this staff in my hand, I’m going to strike the Nile, and the water will turn into blood. ¹⁸The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink any water from the Nile.’ ”

¹⁹The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—its rivers, canals, ponds, and all its reservoirs—so that they turn into blood. There will be blood everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden and stone containers.’ ”

²⁰Moses and Aaron did as the Lord had commanded. In front of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised his staff and struck the Nile. All the water in the river turned into blood.

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