The First Five Plagues: God Shows His Power (Exodus 7:15–9:7)
Have you ever tried to get someone’s attention, but they just wouldn’t listen?
That’s exactly what happened between God and Pharaoh in the story of the plagues. God sent Moses and Aaron to warn Pharaoh and demand that he let the Israelites go. But Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn, and it took a lot more than one warning for him to notice God’s power.
Let’s walk through what happened.
The First Sign: Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Snake
Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh and perform a sign: Aaron throws down his staff, and it turns into a snake!
Pharaoh’s magicians copy the trick by doing the same thing. Even though Aaron’s snake swallows up theirs, Pharaoh’s heart stays hard. He refuses to listen.
The First Plague: Water Turns to Blood
Next, God tells Moses to strike the Nile River with his staff. When he does, the water turns into blood.
Fish die, the river smells awful, and the Egyptians have no clean water to drink.
Pharaoh’s magicians somehow copy this miracle too, so Pharaoh isn’t impressed. He goes home and refuses to change his mind.
The Second Plague: Frogs Cover the Land
Then God sends a plague of frogs.
Frogs are everywhere — in houses, in kitchens, even in beds!
This time Pharaoh begs Moses to ask God to take the frogs away. Moses prays, and the frogs die.
But once the problem is gone, Pharaoh hardens his heart again and refuses to let the Israelites go.
The Third Plague: Gnats Everywhere
Without warning, Moses strikes the dust of the ground, and it turns into tiny gnats that cover people and animals.
Pharaoh’s magicians try to copy the miracle, but they can’t. They admit to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!”
Still, Pharaoh’s heart remains stubborn.
The Fourth Plague: Swarms of Flies
Next come swarms of flies.
Flies fill the Egyptian homes and cover the land — but not Goshen, where the Israelites live. God makes a clear distinction between His people and the Egyptians.
Pharaoh promises to let the Israelites worship God if Moses gets rid of the flies. But when the flies leave, Pharaoh breaks his promise once again.
The Fifth Plague: Death of Livestock
God sends a plague that kills the Egyptian livestock — cows, donkeys, sheep, and more.
But none of the animals belonging to the Israelites are harmed.
Pharaoh even checks to see if this is true, and it is.
Still, Pharaoh remains stubborn and refuses to set the Israelites free.
Key Lessons
There’s a lot we can learn from this story:
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God’s Power Is Greater Than Human Strength: Pharaoh’s magicians could only copy the first few signs. God’s power went way beyond anything they could do.
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God Protects His People: Throughout the plagues, God watched over the Israelites, keeping them safe.
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A Hard Heart Brings More Trouble: Pharaoh’s refusal to listen to God only made things worse for himself and his people.
Final Thoughts
God was sending a loud and clear message: He is powerful, faithful, and serious about rescuing His people.
Even when Pharaoh refused to listen, God didn’t give up. He kept showing His power and kept His promises.
Something to think about:
Are there areas in your life where you might be ignoring what God is trying to show you?
Let’s not be like Pharaoh — let’s keep our hearts soft and open to God’s voice.
Exodus 7:15-9:7 (WEB)
7:15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he is going out to the water. You shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him. You shall take the rod which was turned to a serpent in your hand. 16 You shall tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness. Behold, until now you haven’t listened.” 17 The LORD says, “In this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold: I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 18 The fish that are in the river will die and the river will become foul. The Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the river.” ’ ” 19 The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood. There will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’ ”20 Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck 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 The fish that were in the river died. The river became foul. The Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river. The blood was throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 The magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their enchantments. So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken. 23 Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he didn’t even take this to heart. 24 All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink; for they couldn’t drink the river water. 25 Seven days were fulfilled, after the LORD had struck the river.8:1 The LORD spoke to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs. 3 The river will swarm with frogs, which will go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs. 4 The frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.” ’ ” 5 The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’ ” 6 Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 7 The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only.”10 Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.”Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. 11 The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”12 Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh. 13 The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. 14 They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.16 The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’ ” 17 They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is God’s finger;” but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.20 The LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes out to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on. 22 I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end you may know that I am the LORD on the earth. 23 I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.” ’ ” 24 The LORD did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.25 Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!”26 Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, won’t they stone us? 27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.”28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”29 Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you. I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” 30 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to the LORD. 31 The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one. 32 Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still, 3 behold, the LORD’s hand is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence. 4 The LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.” ’ ” 5 The LORD appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.” 6 The LORD did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died. 7 Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.