7303. Verses 14-24. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is made heavy, he refuseth to let the people go. Go unto Pharaoh in the morning; behold he goeth out unto the waters; and stand thou to meet him near the bank of the river; and the rod which was turned into a serpent take in thy hand. And thou shalt say unto him, Jehovah the 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 hast not heard. Thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; behold I smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned into blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall labor to drink waters from the river. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, and over their pools, and over every gathering of their waters, and they shall be blood; and there shall be blood in all the land of Egypt, both in the woods and in the stones. And Moses and Aaron did so, as Jehovah commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, unto the eyes of Pharaoh, and unto the eyes of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned into blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river; and there was blood in all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart was made hard, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken. And Pharaoh looked back, and came unto his house, and did not set his heart even to this. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for waters to drink; for they could not drink of the waters of the river. "And Jehovah said unto Moses" signifies Divine instruction; "Pharaoh's heart is made heavy, he refuseth to let the people go," signifies that they obstinately determined not to release those whom they infest; "go unto Pharaoh in the morning," signifies elevation to things more confirmatory; "behold he goeth out unto the waters," signifies that then they who were infesting would be in falsities from fallacies; "and stand thou to meet him near the bank of the river," signifies influx according to the state; "and the rod that was turned into a serpent take in thy hand," signifies power like the former; "and thou shalt say unto him," signifies command; "Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying," signifies from the Divine of the church to those who were infesting; "Let My people go," signifies that they should release; "that they may serve Me in the wilderness," signifies worship in what is obscure; "and behold hitherto thou hast not heard," signifies no obedience; "thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah," signifies that they may be in fear of the Divine; "behold, I smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river," signifies power over the falsities which are from fallacies; "and they shall be turned into blood," signifies that they shall falsify truths; "and the fish that is in the river shall die," signifies that the memory-knowledge of truth shall be extinguished; "and the river shall stink," signifies aversion for it; "and the Egyptians shall labor to drink waters from the river," signifies that they would desire to know scarcely anything about it; "and Jehovah said unto Moses," signifies execution; "Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt," signifies power against the falsities of those who infest; "over their streams, over their rivers," signifies against the things of doctrine; "and over their pools," signifies against the memory-knowledges that were of service to them; "and over every gathering of their waters," signifies where there is any falsity; "and they shall be blood," signifies that they shall falsify truths; "and there shall be blood in all the land of Egypt," signifies total falsification; "both in woods and in stones," signifies of the good that is of charity and of the truth that is of faith; "and Moses and Aaron did so as Jehovah commanded," signifies the effect; "and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river," signifies strong power against the falsities; "unto the eyes of Pharaoh, and unto the eyes of his servants," signifies in the notice of all who were infesting; "and all the waters that were in the river were turned into blood," signifies the consequent falsification of all truth; "and the fish that was in the river died," signifies the memory-knowledge of truth also extinguished; "and the river stank," signifies aversion; "and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river," signifies that they desired to know scarcely anything about it; "and there was blood in all the land of Egypt," signifies total falsification; "and the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments," signifies that their falsifiers fashioned the like by abusing order; "and Pharaoh's heart was made hard," signifies obstinacy; "and he heard them not," signifies no reception and no obedience; "as Jehovah had spoken," signifies according to the prediction; "and Pharaoh looked back, and came unto his house," signifies thought and reflection from falsities; "and did not set his heart even to this," signifies resistance from the will, and the consequent obstinacy; "and all the Egyptians digged round about the river for waters to drink," signifies a thorough search for truth which they might apply to falsities; "for they could not drink of the waters of the river," signifies no application from mere falsities.