DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus

\Home\

Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture
plus an explanation with links

2017 March 10




Image 1: Moses and Aaron Before Pharaoh: An Allegory of the Dinteville Family (1537)
Master of the Dinteville Allegory (Netherlandish or French mid-16th century)
Mannerism Style
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, USA
Image Credit: Met Museum

~~~~~~~~~~

Image 2: Aaron Changing the Water of the Nile into Blood (1610)
Jan Pynas (1582-1631)
Dutch Golden Age Baroque Style
Rembrandt House Museum on loan from Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Netherlands
Image Credit: Wikipedia


SPECIAL NOTE:

[ I will again be working through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. I will be adding links, resources, images, and the like, upgrading the former work-through which began with the 2013-10-12 posting which can be found, along with the full Genesis to Revelation postings, in the Archive Page. Postings will be at midnight Eastern Time, as I am able. However, no days will be skipped, even though a posting may be late. And all postings will be housed in the Archive Page. ]


     Explanation: Exodus 7 contains the account of the first plague, preceded by the sign of the staff which turned into a serpent. The chapter opens with the LORD's answer to the question posed by Moses at the end of the previous chapter (Exodus 6:30): "And Moses said before the LORD, 'Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?'" The LORD's answer was that he had made Moses a god to Pharaoh, and he made Aaron his prophet (1). Therefore the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron to speak all that he commanded them and to tell Pharaoh to let his people go (2). Nevertheless, said the LORD, he would harden Pharaoh's heart, and Pharaoh would not listen; but the LORD would deliver his people; and the Egyptians would know that he was the LORD by his judgments and by his deliverance of Israel (3-5).
     So Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, Moses being eighty years old, and Aaron being eighty-three (6-7). In answer to Pharaoh's challenge to prove themselves by working a miracle, Aaron cast down his rod, and it became a serpent (tanniyn / tanniym - elsewhere translated as whale or dragon), a feat duplicated by the Egyptian wise men, sorcerers, and magicians, who also produced tanniyn / tanniym. The usual word for serpent is nachash, which indicates the average, generic idea of serpent or snake. But the serpents produced in Pharaoh's court by Moses and the magicians may have been large and ferocious, hence the specialized word for them. And they may have represented the god Apep (also called Apepi, Aapep, or Apophis), who represented darkness and chaos, and may have been a creator god. However, Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs, showing the power of God over the powers of the magicians and the powers of a chief God of Egypt. But still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen. (8-13).
     The remainder of the chapter records the Plague of Blood, which was the first of Ten Plagues which the LORD sent upon Egypt. The LORD sent Moses and Aaron to meet Pharaoh at the Nile, to demand the release of Israel, and to warn him of the coming plague of the waters of Egypt being turned to blood and the widespread death it would cause (14-19). Moses and Aaron did as they were commanded, the Nile turned to blood, the fish died, the river stank, the water became undrinkable, and the water in the rest of the land (even in the vessels of wood and stone) turned to blood. The magicians did likewise with their arts; Pharaoh's heart was hardened; and the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile to get water to drink (20-24). Seven days passed after the LORD struck the Nile (25).
     Many commentators have noted that the Ten Plagues [blood, frogs, lice or gnats, flies or wild animals, pestilence upon cattle, boils, hail, locust, darkness, and death of the firstborn] come in groups of three, with the tenth being in a category by itself. The first and second plagues in each group are preceded by a warning, the third in each group comes without warning. The LORD tells Moses to meet Pharaoh at the Nile before the first plague in each group. Before the second plague in each group, the LORD tells Moses to meet Pharaoh in his palace. The third plague in each group has no meeting with Pharaoh and no warning.
     As for the Tenth Plague, this came with the most elaborate and horrific of all the warnings (Exodus 11:4-8). The first mention of the Death of the Firstborn was in Exodus 4:21-23, where the LORD told Moses to deliver this warning after he did all the wonders which the LORD put into his hand (Exodus 4:20). The warning is then given, as mentioned, in Exodus 11:4-8, during Moses' last appearance before Pharaoh (Exodus 10:24 - 11:8), in which Pharaoh warns Moses not to come before him again on penalty of death, prompting Moses to retort that Pharaoh would indeed see his face no more. This is followed, in Exodus 11:1-3, by some parenthetical comments about the LORD's instruction to Moses about the Exodus and a mention of the great status Moses had among the Egyptians and Pharaoh's servants), followed by the warning of the death of the firstborn and it's agonies -- after which Moses left Pharaoh in great anger.
     Concerning the plagues in general, a number of commentators consider these to be against the gods of Egypt and have mentioned specific gods against which each plague was directed. However, Scripture simply says that it was the Tenth Plague which was directed against "all the gods of Egypt" (Exodus 12:12). Since this plague was against Pharaoh in particular, and his house and people in general, and since Pharaoh was considered to be the incarnation of all of the gods of Egypt, it is particularly appropriate to say that this Tenth Plague was against all of the gods of Egypt. Also, the significance attached to the Tenth Plague applies to the other nine, since the Tenth Plague brought to full measure the wrath of God begun in the previous nine. There is, among them, a unity of purpose and power that makes them a single (and singular) judgment. Thus, all ten can be viewed as a judgment against the gods of Egypt.
     [ Sermons: Charles Biggs. Various. ]
     [ Illustration: Today's paintings illustrate the two main events of today's chapter, the sign of the staff turning into a serpent, and the first of the Ten Plagues, water turning to blood. ]







RESOURCES

PLEASE NOTE: Use the resources on this and other sites thoughtfully, particularly the commentaries and encyclopedias. I have attempted to list conservative, scholarly resources. However, some providers use liberal or liberal-influenced commentaries such as the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (in Bible Hub). Such commentaries are undoubtedly included by the provider for the wealth of useful information and comments which they provide. By consulting several commentaries, it should be fairly easy to sort out the wheat from the chaff. If, however, you would like personal assistance, write to me at AD LIB ARTS EMAIL.


          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Exodus 7: [11] Genesis 41:8; Daniel 1:20; Daniel 2:2. -- From the KJV Reference Bible ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]




HARMONY OF THE LAW


John Calvin - CCEL | Analytical Chart - BLB




GOSPEL HARMONIES

Gospel Harmony - Summary | The Harmony of the Gospels - Augustine | Gospel Harmony Chart - Online Bible

Greek Harmony of the Gospels - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF) | Gospel Harmony in English - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF)




HEBREW AND GREEK INTERLINEAR BIBLES


Bible Hub Interlinear Hebrew and Greek Bible


Bible Hub Hebrew Interlinear | Scripture 4 All Hebrew Interlinear


Mounce Interlinear | Bible Hub Greek Interlinear | Scripture 4 All Greek Interlinear Bible





Pentateuch Detailed Outline:

Genesis Detailed Outline:

Exodus Detailed Outline:





Exodus 7


EXODUS (COVENANT PEOPLE DELIVERED AND INSTRUCTED: COVENANT ESTABLISHED)


1. Promised (Covenanted) Deliverance [cf., Ge 15:16]


{Pentateuch Outline: Section 13. Generations of Levi - Ex 6:14 - Nu 2:34) - 1446 - 1445 B.C. Egypt & Sinai}


B. 4th Generation: Covenant Deliverance From Egypt Completed: (Ex 6:14 - Ex 18:27) - 1446 B.C. Egypt to Sinai


     1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. 2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them. 6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they. 7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
     8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
     14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. 16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. 17 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. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone .
     20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 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. 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. 24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
     25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD smitten the river.




Home | DAWN Archive

Tomorrow's Picture: TBA

     ADDITIONAL AD LIB MATERIAL: Prose, Poetry, Writers, Visual Artists, Music, DAWN, and ILLUMINATION. ILLUMINATION features a compact, Illuminated Bible. DAWN, the page you are presently visiting, features a new image and explanation daily.

Please Email Comments and Questions To

AD LIB ARTS EMAIL
copyright 2017, Scott Souza