Psalms 78:44
And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
Original Language Analysis
וַיַּהֲפֹ֣ךְ
And had turned
H2015
וַיַּהֲפֹ֣ךְ
And had turned
Strong's:
H2015
Word #:
1 of 6
to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert
לְ֭דָם
into blood
H1818
לְ֭דָם
into blood
Strong's:
H1818
Word #:
2 of 6
blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshe
יְאֹרֵיהֶ֑ם
their rivers
H2975
יְאֹרֵיהֶ֑ם
their rivers
Strong's:
H2975
Word #:
3 of 6
a channel, e.g., a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the nile, as the one river of egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the tigris, as the m
Cross References
Historical Context
The Nile was Egypt's everything—irrigation, transportation, fishing, and religious devotion. Annual flooding deposited nutrient-rich silt, enabling agriculture. Turning it to blood for seven days (Exodus 7:25) was ecological, economic, and theological catastrophe simultaneously.
Questions for Reflection
- What "life sources" do you depend on that God might need to expose as insufficient?
- How does God challenging Egypt's false gods parallel His claim on every area of your life?
- What does the plague's severity teach about God's determination to free His people?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. The first plague (Exodus 7:14-25) attacked Egypt's lifeline—the Nile. Yĕʾōr (יְאֹר, "rivers") specifically denotes the Nile and its channels. Nōzēl (נֹזֵל, "floods") means flowing streams or tributaries. God transformed Egypt's source of life into death.
Dām (דָּם, "blood") represented both death and defilement. The plague made water undrinkable, killed fish, and created a stench—total corruption of Egypt's water supply. This directly challenged Hapi, the Nile-god Egyptians believed brought annual inundation and fertility. Yahweh demonstrated control over what Egypt worshiped.
The plague's theological significance extends beyond Egypt: blood represents life in biblical theology, and the Nile turned to blood foreshadowed the Passover blood that would bring life to Israel while bringing death to Egypt. Ultimately, it points to Christ's blood that transforms death into life for all who trust Him.