וְהַדָּגָ֨ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֥ר מֵ֨תָה֙ וַיִּבְאַ֣שׁ הַיְאֹ֔ר וְלֹא־יָכְל֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ות מַ֖יִם מִן־הַיְאֹ֑ר וַיְהִ֥י הַדָּ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(Exodus 7:21)
Literal English Translation
And the fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, and the Mitsrites could not drink water from the Nile, and the blood was in all the land of Mitsrayim.
Word-by-Word Explanation
- וְהַדָּגָ֨ה – “And the fish” Noun. דָּגָה is a collective feminine noun for “fish.” The וְ is the conjunction “and,” and הַ is the definite article “the.”
- אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֥ר – “that were in the Nile”אֲשֶׁר = “who/which/that” (relative pronoun);
בַּיְאֹר = “in the Nile” (בְּ = in, הַיְאֹר = the Nile → assimilated to בַּיְאֹר). - מֵ֨תָה – “died”Verb, feminine singular perfect from מוּת, “to die.” It agrees with דָּגָה (a collective feminine noun).
- וַיִּבְאַ֣שׁ – “and it stank” Verb, 3rd person masculine singular from בָּאַשׁ, “to stink.” Refers to the Nile. The וַ prefix marks narrative past.
- הַיְאֹ֔ר – “the Nile” Noun. The definite article הַ is attached. The Nile is Egypt’s life-source—now it smells of death.
- וְלֹא־יָכְל֣וּ – “and they could not” Verb, from יָכֹל, “to be able.”
– לֹא = “not,”
– יָכְלוּ = “they could” (3rd person plural).
Together: “they could not.” - מִצְרַ֔יִם – “Mitsrayim” (Egypt) Proper noun. Refers to the Egyptian people as a nation.
- לִשְׁתֹּ֥ות – “to drink” Infinitive from שָׁתָה, “to drink.” The לְ prefix means “to.”
- מַיִם – “water”Noun, masculine plural in form but often treated as singular in meaning.
- מִן־הַיְאֹ֑ר – “from the Nile” Preposition + noun: מִן = from; הַיְאֹר = the Nile. Combined: “from the Nile.”
- וַיְהִ֥י – “and there was” / “and it came to be”Verb, 3rd person masculine singular from הָיָה, “to be.” Introduces a result or condition.
- הַדָּ֖ם – “the blood” Noun. This is the heart of the plague—water turned into blood. Definite article הַ is attached.
- בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ – “in all the land of” Preposition + noun. בְּ = in; כָל = all; אֶרֶץ = land.
Together: “in all the land of…” - מִצְרָֽיִם – “Mitsrayim” Proper noun, again—referring to the land of Egypt.
Word Order and Sentence Flow
This verse builds a vivid sequence:
1. The fish die → מֵתָה
2. The Nile stinks → וַיִּבְאַשׁ
3. The Egyptians can’t drink → לֹא־יָכְלוּ… לִשְׁתּוֹת
4. The blood is everywhere → וַיְהִי הַדָּם בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם
Each phrase deepens the crisis. Hebrew uses short clauses with vav-consecutives to chain events in dramatic narrative flow.
Plague Progression Table
| Stage | Hebrew Phrase | What Happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | וְהַדָּגָה… מֵתָה | The fish died |
| 2 | וַיִּבְאַשׁ הַיְאֹר | The Nile stank |
| 3 | וְלֹא־יָכְלוּ… לִשְׁתֹּות | The Egyptians couldn’t drink |
| 4 | וַיְהִי הַדָּם | The blood spread |
| 5 | בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם | Throughout all Egypt |
Hebrew Unlocked!
> “You’ve just followed the unfolding of a plague—in Hebrew, word by word!”
You saw:
– A feminine collective noun: דָּגָה
– Sequential vav-consecutive verbs driving the action
– The power of repetition and rhythm to build a terrifying scene
This is Hebrew in motion, in poetry, in prophecy—and you understood it.
You’ve stepped into the Exodus story using the very words it was written in. Brick by brick, you’re reading the Bible as it was meant to be read.
