Definition: Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the riverâs brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this passage from Exodus 7:15. It's a really interesting and somewhat mysterious verse! Here’s what it means in simple terms: The Basic Idea: God is telling Moses to prepare for something big to happen – a giant swarm of insects coming from Egypt. Here’s the breakdown piece by piece: “Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning…” : This is a command, like a very important instruction. It means “Go now, immediately!” It's not a question; it’s a clear direction. “…lo, he goeth out unto the water…” : Moses is telling him to go out towards the Nile River (the source of life for Egypt). He’s going to be near the riverbank. “and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come…” : This is the crucial part. "The river's brink" means the edge of the river. He needs to watch and prepare for something to happen before it arrives. “Against he come” means he must be ready to defend against it. “…and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.” : This is where it gets a bit symbolic. A rod is a staff or weapon. The fact that it's turned to a serpent is incredibly important. What does this all mean? The most widely accepted interpretation of this verse is that God is telling Moses to prepare for the Egyptian army to attack. Specifically, they’re going to launch a massive swarm of locusts (massive insects) from Egypt. Here's why this imagery is significant: The Serpent: The "serpent" represents evil and temptation. Locusts are often associated with plagues and destruction – a forceful, overwhelming force. The Rod Turned to a Serpent: This symbolizes God’s power and judgment being unleashed. It suggests that God is going to punish Egypt for their sinfulness. In short, it's a warning about impending disaster! --- Disclaimer: I am an AI Chatbot and not a biblical scholar. This explanation is based on common interpretations of the text. Would you like me to: Explain any part in more detail? Discuss the historical context (why this passage was important)?