SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:22
Y los encantadores de Egipto hicieron lo mismo con sus encantamientos; y el corazón del Faraón se endureció, y no los escuchó; como el SEÑOR lo había dicho.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Exodus 7:22
Verse 22. And the magicians-did so] But if all the water in Egypt was turned into blood by Moses, where did the magicians get the water which they changed into blood? This question is answered in chap. vii. 24. The Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink, and it seems that the water obtained by this means was not bloody like that in the river: on this water therefore the magicians might operate. Again, though a general commission was given to Moses, not only to turn the waters of the river (Nile) into blood, but also those of their streams, rivers, ponds, and pools; yet it seems pretty clear from chap. vii. 20 that he did not proceed thus far, at least in the first instance; for it is there stated that only the waters of the river were turned into blood. Afterwards the plague doubtless became general. At the commencement therefore of this plague, the magicians might obtain other water to imitate the miracle; and it would not be difficult for them, by juggling tricks or the assistance of a familiar spirit, (for we must not abandon the possibility of this use,) to give it a bloody appearance, a fetid smell, and a bad taste. On either of these grounds there is no contradiction in the Mosaic account, though some have been very studious to find one. The plague of the bloody waters may be considered as a display of retributive justice against the Egyptians, for the murderous decree which enacted that all the male children of the Israelites should be drowned in that river, the waters of which, so necessary to their support and life, were now rendered not only insalubrious but deadly, by being turned into blood.
As it is well known that the Nile was a chief object of Egyptian idolatry, (See note on "chap. vii. 15",) and that annually they sacrificed a girl, or as others say, both a boy and a girl, to this river, in gratitude for the benefits received from it, (Universal Hist., vol. i., p. 178, fol. edit.,) God might have designed this plague as a punishment for such cruelty: and the contempt poured upon this object of their adoration, by turning its waters into blood, and rendering them fetid and corrupt, must have had a direct tendency to correct their idolatrous notions, and lead them to acknowledge the power and authority of the true God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-25 - Here is the first of the ten plagues, the turning of the water int blood. It was a dreadful plague. The sight of such vast rolling stream of blood could not but strike horror. Nothing is more common tha water: so wisely has Providence ordered it, and so kindly, that what is so needful and serviceable to the comfort of human life, should be cheap and almost every where to be had; but now the Egyptians mus either drink blood, or die for thirst. Egypt was a pleasant land, but the dead fish and blood now rendered it very unpleasant. It was righteous plague, and justly sent upon the Egyptians; for Nile, the river of Egypt, was their idol. That creature which we idolize, God justly takes from us, or makes bitter to us. They had stained the rive with the blood of the Hebrews' children, and now God made that rive all blood. Never any thirsted after blood, but sooner or later they ha enough of it. It was a significant plague; Egypt had great dependenc upon their river, Zec 14:18; so that in smiting the river, they wer warned of the destruction of all the produce of their country. The love of Christ to his disciples changes all their common mercies int spiritual blessings; the anger of God towards his enemies, render their most valued advantages a curse and a misery to them. Aaron is to summon the plague by smiting the river with his rod. It was done in the sight of Pharaoh and his attendants, for God's true miracles were no performed as Satan's lying wonders; truth seeks no corners. See the almighty power of God. Every creature is that to us which he makes it to be water or blood. See what changes we may meet with in the thing of this world; what is always vain, may soon become vexatious. See what mischievous work sin makes. If the things that have been our comfort prove our crosses, we must thank ourselves. It is sin that turns ou waters into blood. The plague continued seven days; and in all tha time Pharaoh's proud heart would not let him desire Moses to pray for the removal of it. Thus the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath. N wonder that God's anger is not turned away, but that his hand i stretched out still __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויעשׂו 6213 כן 3651 חרטמי 2748 מצרים 4714 בלטיהם 3909 ויחזק 2388 לב 3820 פרעה 6547 ולא 3808 שׁמע 8085 אלהם 413 כאשׁר 834 דבר 1696 יהוה׃ 3068
