The First of the Ten Plagues

God commanded Moses to have Aaron stretch out his staff and strike the water of the Nile before Pharaoh, and the water immediately turned to blood. The fish died, the river gave off a foul smell, and the Egyptians could not drink the river water. Water throughout Egypt, whether in rivers, pools, or containers, became blood. But Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he turned back to his palace.