Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
This is what the LORD says: 'By this you will know that I am the LORD: Look, I will strike the waters of the river with the staff that is in my hand, and the water will turn to blood.'
God is telling Pharaoh that He will turn the Nile River to blood as proof of His divine power and identity.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Exodus, the Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for generations, and God called Moses to lead them out of bondage. Pharaoh repeatedly refused to let them go, so God empowered Moses and Aaron to perform miraculous signs to demonstrate His supreme authority over the Egyptian gods and rulers. This verse specifically introduces the first plague, where the Nile River would turn to blood, as a direct challenge to Pharaoh's defiance and a revelation of God's power.
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