Exodus 7:15
Get thee vnto Pharaoh in the morning, loe, he goeth out vnto the water, and thou shalt stand by the riuers brinke, against hee come: and the rod which was turned to a serpent, shalt thou take in thine hand. Exodus 7:15 (KJV)
In this verse God speaks to Moses, instructing him to go to Pharaoh in the morning and stand by the river’s brink as Pharaoh goes out to the water. The instruction is given so that Moses may demonstrate God’s power and deliver His message to the Egyptian ruler. To understand the context we look back to the events that preceded this command. God had chosen Moses as the leader to deliver the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt, and he was accompanied by his brother Aaron. They were sent to Pharaoh to demand the release of the people from slavery, but Pharaoh refused to let them go.
The reference to the water points to Pharaoh’s regular practice of going to the Nile, a river regarded as sacred in Egyptian culture and a place of religious ritual. God therefore tells Moses to position himself at the river’s edge before Pharaoh arrives. Moses is also told to take the rod that had previously been turned into a serpent. This rod held great symbolic and miraculous significance; it was the instrument through which God performed signs and wonders to convince Pharaoh of His authority. By taking the rod, Moses is equipped with a tangible reminder of the supernatural events that have already occurred and a powerful symbol of God’s presence.
Through this passage we see God’s sovereignty and His desire to display His power to Pharaoh. The confrontation between Moses, armed with the rod, and Pharaoh sets in motion the series of ten plagues that God would bring upon Egypt, each escalating in severity. These plagues serve as signs and judgments, showcasing the superiority of the God of Israel over the false gods of Egypt and revealing His determination to deliver His people.
Overall, Exodus 7:15 highlights God’s precise guidance to Moses—providing specific instructions on how to approach Pharaoh, what to bring, and setting the stage for the dramatic events that follow in the Exodus narrative.
