Commentary for Exodus 7:17
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּזֹ֣את תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֖י אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י מַכֶּ֣ה ׀ בַּמַּטֶּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדִ֗י עַל־הַמַּ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּיְאֹ֖ר וְנֶהֶפְכ֥וּ לְדָֽם׃
thus saith the LORD: In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD—behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
Rashi on Exodus
ונהפכו לדם AND THEY SHALL BE TURNED INTO BLOOD — Because rain does not fall in Egypt but the Nile rises and irrigates the land and the Egyptians on this account worshipped the Nile, therefore God first smote their deity and afterwards smote them (Exodus Rabbah 9:9).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Rashbam on Exodus
'בזאת תדע כי אני ה, to teach you who have said: “I do not know any god by the name of Hashem.” (5,2)
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Sforno on Exodus
'בזאת תדע כי אני ה; I will turn something that never changes in nature and never ceases to flow, into something else. This will demonstrate My power over natural law.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy