Exodus 5-7

Beginning with Exodus 5 through Exodus 14, God is dealing with Pharaoh through Moses and Aaron. Moses delivered a clear message from God to Pharaoh, “Let my people go....” 5:1. And Pharaoh began his resistance with, “Who is the Lord that I should obey?” (v2). In defiance, the Pharaoh commanded the workload of the slaves to increase, (vs 6-9), believing they would turn against Moses.

So the plagues began; the Nile river turned to blood (7:17), but Pharaoh hardened his heart (7:23,24). The first plagues were not retributive, butcorrective, expressions of God’s love. The wise person responds to correction; the fool models himself after the Pharaoh.