Exodus 7:17

“Thus says YHWH: “By this you will know that I am YHWH: look, I am going to strike with the staff that is in my hand the water that is in the Nile, and it will be turned into blood.”
Exodus 7:17 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָה“Byבְּthisזֹאתyou will knowתֵּדַעthatכִּיIאֲנִיam YHWH:יְהוָהlook,הִנֵּהIאָנֹכִיam going to strikeמַכֶּהwith the staffבַּמַּטֶּהthatאֲשֶׁרis in my handבְּיָדִיthe waterעַל הַמַּיִםthatאֲשֶׁרis in the Nile,בַּיְאֹרand it will be turnedוְנֶהֶפְכוּinto blood.לְדָם

Allusion · Revelation 11:6

Go to Revelation 11:6

Both texts speak of turning the waters into blood, as in the first plague of Egypt.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

מַּיִםmayimH4325ὑδάτωνhydatōnG5204“water”
נֶהֶפְכוּnehefjuH2015στρέφεινstrepheinG4762“turn, change, overturn”
דָםdamH1818αἷμαhaimaG129“blood”

Exodus 7:17, word by word

saysאָמַרamar

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “amar” appears

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

you will knowתֵּדַעteda

acknowledge

To acknowledge YHWH: admit that he is God.

Where else “teda” appears

am going to strikeמַכֶּהmake

strike

To give a blow to someone or something, with the hand or a weapon.

Where else “make” appears

with the staffמַּטֶּהmate

staff

A straight stick used for support, as a weapon or as a sign of authority.

Where else “mate” appears

is in my handיָדִyadi

hand

The part of the body with which one takes, gives and works; also what one does.

Where else “yadi” appears

the waterמַּיִםmayim

water

Water: for drinking, of rivers or seas.

Where else “mayim” appears

is in the Nileיְאֹרyeor

Nile

See it on the map Where else “yeor” appears

and it will be turnedנֶהֶפְכוּnehefchu

change

To change something into something else.

Where else “nehefchu” appears

into bloodדָםdam

blood

The red fluid that runs through the body and carries the life of people and animals.

Where else “dam” appears

Places in this verse

Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.

Nile
Today: Nile River, Uganda to Egypt and the Mediterranean
Egypt's great river; it flows north to the Mediterranean Sea.
Pharaoh dreamed beside the Nile (Gen 41:1). God turned its waters to blood (Exod 7:20), and baby Moses was placed on its bank (Exod 2:3-5).
Genesis 41:1 Exodus 7:20 Exodus 2:5 2 Kings 19:24

The context

16And you shall say to him, ‘YHWH, the Elohim of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness.” But look, you have not listened until now.

17 · This verse (above)

18The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the Nile.”’”

Read all of Exodus 7

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