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Nile

Illustration of Nile

In the land of Egypt the great river served as both a source of sustenance and a stage for divine judgment during the time of Israel's bondage. It was along its banks that the infant Moses was hidden and then discovered by Pharaoh's daughter, preserving the future deliverer of God's people. When the Lord stretched forth His hand through Moses the waters of this river were turned to blood, and from its depths came forth the plague of frogs, revealing the impotence of Egypt's idols and advancing the redemption of the covenant nation.

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Details

Region
Egypt
Modern Location
Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia
Strongest connections in Scripture

Key Passages

Moses Found in the Nile

Exodus 2:3-6

Pharaoh's daughter discovers baby Moses floating on the Nile.

A3nd when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the riverโ€™s brink.

4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the riverโ€™s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrewsโ€™ children.

Nile Turned to Blood

Exodus 7:20-21

The first plague turns the Nile into blood as judgment on Egypt.

A20nd 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.

Frogs from the Nile

Exodus 8:3-6

The second plague brings frogs from the Nile throughout Egypt.

A3nd the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs:

4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

Did You Know?

1

The Nile is the longest river in Africa at over 4,100 miles.

2

Moses was hidden in the Nile as a baby and later turned it to blood as a plague.

3

Ancient Egyptians worshipped the Nile as the god Hapi. The blood plague was a direct challenge.