¹⁷ This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord:^(A) With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood.^{(B) 18} The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink;^(C) the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.’”^(D)

¹⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff^(E) and stretch out your hand^(F) over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels^[a] of wood and stone.”

²⁰ Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded.^(G) He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile,^(H) and all the water was changed into blood.^{(I) 21} The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.