Exodus 7:21

Verse

The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.

Bible in Basic English

And the fish in the Nile came to destruction, and a bad smell went up from the river, and the Egyptians were not able to make use of the water of the Nile for drinking; and there was blood through all the land of Egypt.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the fishes that were in the river died: and the river corrupted, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river, and there was blood in all the land of Egypt.

Free Bible Version

The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so awful that the Egyptians could not drink its water. There was blood through all of Egypt!

Geneva Bible 1599

And the fish that was in the ryuer dyed, and the riuer stanke: so that the Egyptians could not drinke of the water of the riuer: and there was blood throughout all the lande of Egypt.

King James (Authorized) Version

And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

One Unity Resource Bible

The fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery] couldn’t drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery].

Translation for Translators

Then all the fish died. And the water stank, with the result that the Egyptians could not drink water from the river. Everywhere in Egypt the water became red like blood.

Unlocked Literal Bible

The fish in the river died, and the river began to stink. The Egyptians could not drink water from the river, and the blood was everywhere in the land of Egypt.

Noah Webster Bible

And the fish that was in the river died; and the river was offensive in smell, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

World English Bible

The fish that were in the river died. The river became foul. The Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river. The blood was throughout all the land of Egypt.

Young's Literal Translation

and the fish which [is] in the River hath died, and the River stinketh, and the Egyptians have not been able to drink water from the River; and the blood is in all the land of Egypt.

Context

The First Plague: Blood

²⁰Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood.²¹The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.

Summary

In this verse, Moses is instructed by God to stretch out his hand over the waters of Egypt, causing the Nile River to turn into blood. This miraculous sign was one of the ten plagues sent by God to demonstrate His power and to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. The transformation of the Nile into blood symbolized judgment upon Egypt's false gods and their oppression of God's people. It also served as a warning of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of heeding God's commands.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the fish that was in the river died,.... Which was a full proof that the conversion of it into blood was real; for had it been only in appearance, or the water of the river had only the colour of blood, and looked like it, but was not really so, it would not have affected the fishes, they would have lived as well as before; and this plague was the greater affliction to the Egyptians, not as it affected their drink but their food, fish Num 11:5 being what the common people chiefly lived upon; see Gill on Isa 19:8 and the river stunk; the blood into which it was turned being corrupted through the heat of the sun, and the dead fishes swimming upon it being putrefied: and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and they had no other water to drink of (k); for rain seldom fell in Egypt, though sometimes it did in some places; see Gill on Zac 14:18. The water of the river Nile was not only their common drink, but it was exceeding pleasant, and therefore the loss of it was the greater; it was so remarkable for the sweetness and delicacy of its taste, that in the time of Pescennius Niger, when his soldiers murmured for want of wine, he is reported to have answered them,"what! crave you wine, and have the water of the Nile to drink?''which Mr. Maillett, who lived sixteen years consul for the French nation at Grand Cairo, confirms, and says, that it is grown to be a common proverb, that whoever has once tasted it will ever after pine for it (l); with this compare Jer 2:18, and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt; in the river, wherever it flowed, in all its streams and channels, and wherever any water was collected out of it, or fetched from it, let it be in what reservoir it would. This is the first plague executed on the Egyptians, and a very righteous one by the law of retaliation for shedding the blood of innocent babes, through casting them into this river; and this will be the second and third vials of God's wrath, which will be poured on antichrist, or mystical Egypt, who will have blood given to drink because worthy, see Rev 16:3. Artapanus (m), an Heathen writer, bears testimony to this miracle, though he does not so fully and clearly express it as it was; he says,"a little after, that is, after the former miracle of the rod turned into a serpent, the Nile, that river whose swelling waves overflow all Egypt, was smitten with the rod; and the water being gathered and stagnated, boiled up, and not only the fishes were destroyed, but the people perished through thirst.'' (k) Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 29. (l) See the Bishop of Clogher's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible, p. 287. (m) Apud Euseb Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 435.