He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss here is the specific focus on their rivers and their streams – not just the Nile, but all the vital waterways the Egyptians had created or managed. This wasn't just a natural disaster; it was a direct strike at the very lifeblood of their civilization, their engineered water systems, rendering even their controlled sources undrinkable. It highlights how God's judgment can target not only the obvious but also the intricate ways people rely on and control their world.
He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated unfaithfulness despite God's mighty acts of deliverance. The psalmist leaps through history, starting with the wilderness wanderings before detailing the plagues of Egypt. This verse marks the beginning of the description of the plagues, illustrating the immense power God unleashed on Egypt as a prelude to freeing His people.
Did you know that the plagues of Egypt weren't just random acts of nature? This psalm helps us see them as something much more profound: a divine response to injustice.
Psalm 78 is a powerful reminder that God sees the wrongs committed against His people and doesn't let them go unaddressed.
A Pattern of Injustice
The psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting a recurring cycle: God's mighty acts are met with Israel's ingratitude and sin. This pattern isn't just about ancient Israel; it's a lens through which to view our own relationship with God.
God's Justice and Mercy
When the psalmist describes God turning the rivers to blood (Psalm 78:44), it echoes the first plague in Egypt. But the commentary from Gill points out a crucial detail: this plague was a retaliation for the Egyptians' own cruelty in drowning Israelite infants in the Nile (Exodus 1:22). God's judgment here isn't arbitrary; it's a response to sin and oppression. It’s a demonstration of divine justice, showing that cruelty will not stand.
Even in judgment, we see God's long-suffering. While the plagues were severe, they were also a call to repentance, a way to dismantle the power that oppressed His people.
Imagine the very source of life for a nation becoming a source of death. That's the chilling reality of this plague.
Egypt was utterly dependent on the Nile River. It provided water for drinking, irrigation for crops, and was central to their entire way of life.
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The Symbolism of Blood
When God turned the Nile and its branches (y'or and streams, as mentioned in Cambridge and Barnes) into blood, it struck at the heart of Egypt's existence. This wasn't just a minor inconvenience; it was a devastating blow.
More Than Just Water
This plague vividly illustrates how God can turn the things people rely on—even the very elements they worship—into instruments of judgment when they oppose His will.
This verse recalls the first plague of Egypt, where the Nile and its tributaries turned to blood, making the water undrinkable. This event, part of God's powerful demonstration against Pharaoh, serves as a stark reminder of divine judgment against oppression and disbelief. The Psalmist uses this historical event to teach later generations about God's mighty acts and the people's subsequent forgetfulness.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, after centuries of enslavement in Egypt, were miraculously led out of the land by God under Moses.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Ten Plagues of Egypt
As Pharaoh repeatedly refused to let the Israelites go, God unleashed ten devastating plagues upon Egypt to demonstrate His power and sovereignty.
c. 1446 BC
Destruction of Firstborn
The tenth and final plague involved the death of every firstborn male in Egypt, from Pharaoh's son to the firstborn of cattle, leading to Pharaoh finally allowing the Israelites to leave.
c. 1446 BC
Parting of the Red Sea
After the Exodus, Pharaoh pursued the Israelites. God miraculously parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry land, and then drowned the pursuing Egyptian army.
c. 1400s-1000s BC
Wilderness Wanderings
Following their Exodus, the Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness due to their disobedience, during which God continued to provide for and test them.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
The establishment of David's kingship marked a high point for Israel, signifying God's enduring covenant and establishing a lasting dynasty.
This passage directly describes the first plague of Egypt, where God turned the Nile River and its streams into blood, mirroring the event recounted in Psalm 78:44.
Exodus 7:20This verse specifically details the turning of the waters into blood, emphasizing the physical transformation that made them undrinkable and directly aligning with the imagery in the psalm.
Revelation 11:6This passage describes a future judgment on 'spiritual Egypt' where the waters will be turned to blood, showing a thematic parallel of God's judgment through water being turned to blood across different historical and eschatological contexts.
Psalm 105:29This verse from another historical psalm also recounts the plague of turning waters to blood, reinforcing the significance of this event as a display of God's power and judgment against oppressors.
clarkePsalms 78:44: "And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink."
Turned their rivers into blood - See on Exodus 7:20 (note).
poolePsalms 78:44: "And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink."
The several branches and streams of the river Nilus, and those many rivulets which they brought from it.
What's easy to miss here is the specific focus on their rivers and their streams – not just the Nile, but all the vital waterways the Egyptians had created or managed. This wasn't just a natural disaster; it was a direct strike at the very lifeblood of their civilization, their engineered water systems, rendering even their controlled sources undrinkable. It highlights how God's judgment can target not only the obvious but also the intricate ways people rely on and control their world.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated unfaithfulness despite God's mighty acts of deliverance. The psalmist leaps through history, starting with the wilderness wanderings before detailing the plagues of Egypt. This verse marks the beginning of the description of the plagues, illustrating the immense power God unleashed on Egypt as a prelude to freeing His people.
This psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their repeated unfaithfulness despite God's mighty acts of deliverance. The psalmist leaps through history, starting with the wilderness wanderings before detailing the plagues of Egypt. This verse marks the beginning of the description of the plagues, illustrating the immense power God unleashed on Egypt as a prelude to freeing His people.
"He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams." — What's easy to miss here is the specific focus on their rivers and their streams – not just the Nile, but all the vital waterways the Egyptians had created or managed. This wasn't just a natural…
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Last reviewed October 2026