Exodus 7:8–17

Aaron’s Rod Becomes a Serpent

8 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

9 “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘1aWork a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘bTake your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’ ”

10 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the Lord had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and 1his servants, and it abecame a serpent.

11 Then Pharaoh also acalled for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the 1bmagicians of Egypt, did 2the same with ctheir secret arts.

12 For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

13 Yet aPharaoh’s heart was 1hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

Water Is Turned to Blood

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is 1stubborn; he refuses to let the people go.

15 “Go to Pharaoh in the morning 1as ahe is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand bthe staff that was turned into a serpent.

16 “aYou shall say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “bLet My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.”

17 ‘Thus says the Lord, “aBy this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, I will strike 1the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and bit will be turned to blood.