Friday Jun 06, 2025
Exodus 7:19 – Escaping the First Plague: How Did the Israelites Survive?

Join host Lance Smith in this episode of the Bible Difficulties and Answers podcast as we delve into the intriguing challenge of Exodus 7:19. We explore how the Israelites managed to escape the devastation of the first plague, despite the Nile River and all water sources in Egypt turning to blood.
Through a careful examination of biblical texts and scholarly interpretations, we analyze whether the Israelites were miraculously spared from the plague right from the start, or if they too had to navigate through these troubled waters. We also consider the geographical factors and God's divine protection in keeping the Israelites safe, highlighting the power dynamics between God's supremacy and Egypt's polytheistic beliefs.
Tune in as we uncover fascinating insights and theories, blending historical, linguistic, and theological perspectives to understand how the Israelites survived this biblical crisis.
References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website
The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page
Email Address: bibledifficultiesandanswers@gmail.com
- https://a.co/d/7shn4hI (The Big Book of Bible Difficulties from Amazon)
- https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/exodus-7/
- https://www.universityreformedchurch.org/sermons/and-there-shall-be-blood/
- https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcc/exodus-7.html
- https://foundations.vision.org/plagued-doubt-951
- Hoyte HM. The plagues of Egypt: what killed the animals and the firstborn? Med J Aust. 1993 May 17;158(10):706-8. PMID: 8280206.
- https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/exodus/exodus-in-the-bible-and-the-egyptian-plagues/
13 days ago
Lance Smith’s Bible Difficulties and Answers tackles Exodus 7:19 with charm, asking how Israelites in Goshen dodged the Nile’s bloody plague. He calls God’s move a WWE “smackdown” on Egypt’s gods and pictures a Star Trek force field—Kirk yelling, “Shields up, Sulu!”—protecting Israel. Lance suggests clean wells saved them, though the Bible’s vague. His humor and heart make tricky verses clear, showing God’s precise power while keeping it fun. A must-listen for Bible puzzlers!