Exodus 4:9 | Pastor Burns' Study Notes
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. — Exodus 4:9
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A third sign is announced in advance. If the first two are rejected, Moses is to take water from the Nile and pour it onto dry ground, where it will become blood.
This sign is especially significant because the Nile was central to Egyptian life, prosperity, and religion. God is therefore showing Moses in advance that He has absolute power over Egypt’s most important natural and symbolic resource.
The sign also introduces the theme of judgment. The previous signs emphasized authority and cleansing; this one points toward accountability and divine wrath. Grace comes first, but persistent unbelief leads toward judgment.