## Ramban on Exodus Chapter 7

###### Ramban on Exodus 7:3:1
[Ramban on Exodus 7:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/7:3:1)

**וַאֲנִי אַקְשֶׁה אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה** אָמְרוּ בְּמִדְרַשׁ רַבָּה (שמו"ר ה ו) גִּלָּה לוֹ שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְחַזֵּק אֶת לִבּוֹ בַּעֲבוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ הַדִּין, תַּחַת שֶׁהֶעֱבִידָם בַּעֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה. וְעוֹד שָׁם (יג ד) "כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ" (שמות י':א'), אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִכָּאן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לַמִּינִין לוֹמַר לֹא הָיְתָה מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ יִסָּתֵם פִּיהֶם שֶׁל מִינִין, אֶלָּא "אִם לַלֵּצִים הוּא יָלִיץ" (משלי ג לד), מַתְרֶה בּוֹ פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁנִיָּה וּשְׁלִישִׁית וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר בּוֹ, וְהוּא נוֹעֵל בּוֹ דֶּלֶת מִן הַתְּשׁוּבָה כְּדֵי לִפְרֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ מַה שֶׁחָטָא. כָּךְ פַּרְעֹה הָרָשָׁע, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשִּׁגֵּר הקב"ה אֶצְלוֹ חָמֵשׁ פְּעָמִים וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ עַל דְּבָרָיו, אָמַר לוֹ הקב"ה אַתָּה הִקְשֵׁיתָ אֶת עָרְפְּךָ וְהִכְבַּדְתָּ אֶת לִבְּךָ, הֲרֵינִי מוֹסִיף לְךָ טֻמְאָה עַל טֻמְאָתְךָ:
וְהִנֵּה פֵּרְשׁוּ בַּשְּׁאֵלָה אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאֲלוּ הַכֹּל, אִם הַשֵּׁם הִקְשָׁה אֶת לִבּוֹ מַה פִּשְׁעוֹ, וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ שְׁנֵי טְעָמִים וּשְׁנֵיהֶם אֱמֶת, הָאֶחָד, כִּי פַּרְעֹה בְּרִשְׁעוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל רָעוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת חִנָּם, נִתְחַיֵּב לִמְנֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ דַּרְכֵי תְשׁוּבָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ בָּזֶה פְּסוּקִים רַבִּים בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַכְּתוּבִים, וּלְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נִדּוֹן. וְהַטַּעַם הַשֵּׁנִי, כִּי הָיוּ חֲצִי הַמַּכּוֹת עָלָיו בְּפִשְׁעוֹ, כִּי לֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶן רַק "וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה" (להלן פסוק יג, כב, ח טו), "וַיַּכְבֵּד פַּרְעֹה אֶת לִבּוֹ" (להלן ח כח, ט ז). הִנֵּה לֹא רָצָה לְשַׁלְּחָם לִכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם, אֲבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר גָּבְרוּ הַמַּכּוֹת עָלָיו וְנִלְאָה לִסְבֹּל אוֹתָם, רַךְ לִבּוֹ וְהָיָה נִמְלָךְ לְשַׁלְּחָם מִכֹּבֶד הַמַּכּוֹת, לֹא לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן בּוֹרְאוֹ. וְאָז הִקְשָׁה הַשֵּׁם אֶת רוּחוֹ וְאִמֵּץ אֶת לְבָבוֹ לְמַעַן סַפֵּר שְׁמוֹ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב "וְהִתְגַּדִּלְתִּי וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתִּי וְנוֹדַעְתִּי לְעֵינֵי גּוֹיִם רַבִּים" וְגוֹ' (יחזקאל לח כג):
וַאֲשֶׁר אָמַר קֹדֶם הַמַּכּוֹת (שמות ד':כ"א) "וַאֲנִי אֲחַזֵּק אֶת לִבּוֹ וְלֹא יְשַׁלַּח אֶת הָעָם", יוֹדִיעַ לְמֹשֶׁה הֶעָתִיד לֵעָשׂוֹת בּוֹ בַּמַּכּוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר (שמות ג':י"ט) "וַאֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי לֹא יִתֵּן אֶתְכֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַהֲלֹךְ", וְזֶה טַעַם "וַאֲנִי אַקְשֶׁה אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת אֹתֹתַי", כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁאַקְשֶׁה לִבּוֹ לְמַעַן רְבוֹת מוֹפְתַי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. כִּי בְּחָמֵשׁ מַכּוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת גַּם בִּטְבִיעַת הַיָּם נֶאֱמַר "וַיְחַזֵּק ה'" (שמות י"ד:ח'), כִּי "לֶב מֶלֶךְ בְּיַד ה' עַל כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ יַטֶּנּוּ" (משלי כא א):

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
AND I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART. The Rabbis said in Midrash Rabbah:⁹⁴ “G-d revealed to Moses that He was destined to harden Pharaoh’s heart in order to bring judgment upon him for he caused them to work in cruel bondage.” It is also stated there [in Midrash Rabbah]:⁹⁵, 13:4. “*For I have hardened his heart*.⁹⁶ Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘This provides a pretext for the heretics to say that G-d did not allow Pharaoh to repent.’ Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, ‘The mouths of the heretics be closed! Only, *if it concerneth the scorners, He scorneth them*.⁹⁷ When He warns one on three occasions and he does not turn from his ways, He closes the door of repentance on him in order to punish him for his sin. Such was the case with wicked Pharaoh. After the Holy One, blessed be He, sent him five times⁹⁸ [the request to let His people go] and he paid no attention to His words, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have stiffened your neck and hardened your heart; I will double your defilement.’”⁹⁹
The Rabbis [in the above Midrash] have thus discussed the question which all ask:¹⁰⁰ “If G-d hardened his heart, what then was Pharaoh’s sin?” For this there are two explanations, and both of them are true. One is that Pharaoh in his wickedness had unjustifiably perpetrated such great evils against Israel that justice required that the ways of repentance be withheld from him, as is so indicated in many places in the Torah and in the Writings.¹⁰¹, where he quotes from the Prophets and Writings to substantiate this point. He was judged according to his wickedness which he had originally committed of his own will. The second explanation is that half of the plagues came upon him because of his transgressions, for in connection with them it is only said: *And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened;*¹⁰² *And Pharaoh hardened his heart*.¹⁰³, 8:28 and 9:7. Thus Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel go for the glory of G-d. But when the plagues began bearing down upon him and he became weary to suffer them, his heart softened and he bethought himself to send them out on account of the onslaught of the plagues, not in order to do the will of his Creator. Then *G-d hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate*,¹⁰⁴ so that His name may be declared [throughout all the earth].¹⁰⁵ Similar in meaning is the verse, *Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Eternal*.¹⁰⁶ And that which He said before the plagues, *And I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go*,¹⁰⁷ was merely His warning to Moses of that which He was destined to do to Pharaoh in the last [five] plagues, it being similar to that which He said, *And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go*.¹⁰⁸, 3:19. This then is the meaning of the verse [before us], *And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs*. That is to say, “I will harden his heart so *that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt*,”¹⁰⁹ since in the last five plagues, as well as at the drowning in the sea, it is said, *And the Eternal hardened the heart of Pharaoh*,¹¹⁰, 14:8. for *the king’s heart is in the hand of the Eternal; He turneth it whithersoever He will*.¹¹¹

footnotes:
⁹⁴ Shemoth Rabbah 5:6.
⁹⁵ Ibid.
⁹⁶ Further, 10:1.
⁹⁷ Proverbs 3:34.
⁹⁸ “In the case of the first five plagues, it is not stated, ‘The Eternal hardened Pharaoh’s heart,’ but ‘Pharaoh’s heart was hardened’” (Rashi). That is, it was hardened by his own stubborness.
⁹⁹ Literally: “I will add defilement to your defilement.”
¹⁰⁰ See Ibn Ezra here, and Rambam in his Shemonah Perakim, Chapter 8, and in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Teshubah 6:3, where this problem is discussed.
¹⁰¹ See Rambam in Mishneh Torah, ibid.
¹⁰² Further, Verses 13 and 22, and 8:15.
¹⁰³ Ibid.
¹⁰⁴ Deuteronomy 2:30.
¹⁰⁵ Further, 9:16.
¹⁰⁶ Ezekiel 38:23.
¹⁰⁷ Above, 4:21.
¹⁰⁸ Ibid.
¹⁰⁹ Further, 11:9.
¹¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹¹ Proverbs 21:1.


###### Ramban on Exodus 7:11:1
[Ramban on Exodus 7:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/7:11:1)

**בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם** אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (סנהדרין סז:) שֶׁהֵם מַעֲשֵׂה כְּשָׁפִים וְעַל יְדֵי מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה הֵם נַעֲשִׂים, וְהַמִּלָּה מִגְּזֵרַת "אֵשׁ לוֹהֵט" (תהלים קד ד), "לֶהָבָה תְּלַהֵט רְשָׁעִים" (שם קו יח). וְהָעִנְיָן, כִּי הֵם נַעֲשִׂים עַל יְדֵי לוֹהֲטִים, מַלְאֲכֵי אֵשׁ, מְלַהֶטֶת בָּאָדָם וְלֹא יָדָע וַתִּבְעַר בּוֹ וְלֹא יָשִׂים עַל לֵב, כְּעִנְיַן "וַיְגַל ה' אֶת עֵינֵי נַעַר אֱלִישָׁע וְהִנֵּה רֶכֶב אֵשׁ וְסוּסֵי אֵשׁ" (מלכים ב ו':י"ז). וְאוּלַי יִקָּרְאוּ כֵן הַמַּלְאָכִים הַשּׁוֹכְנִים בָּאֲוִיר בְּגַלְגַּלֵּי הַיְּסוֹדוֹת שֶׁקּוֹרִין אוֹתָם שָׂרִים. וְעוֹד אֲבָאֵר בְּעֶזְרַת הַצּוּר (ויקרא טז ח, יז ז, דברים יח יט). אֲבָל "בְּלָטֵיהֶם" (שמות ח':ג') אָמְרוּ (סנהדרין סז:) שֶׁהֵם שֵׁדִים, וְהַמִּלָּה נִגְזֶרֶת מִמִּלַּת "לָט", "דַּבְּרוּ אֶל דָּוִד בַּלָּט" (שמואל א י"ח:כ"ב), כִּי הַשֵּׁדִים בָּאִים בַּלָּט, כִּי הֵם בַּעֲלֵי גּוּפוֹת מֵאֲוִיר שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִרְגָּשׁ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר "לַחֲכָמִים וְלַמְּכַשְּׁפִים", כִּי חַכְמֵי הַהַשְׁבָּעוֹת וַאֲסִיפַת הַשֵּׁדִים הָיוּ רָאשֵׁיהֶם וְזִקְנֵיהֶם, וְ"חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם" יִכְלֹל אֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יָדַעְנוּ גִּזְרַת הַמִּלָּה. וְאָמַר רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם (אבן עזרא על שמות ז':י"א) כִּי הִיא לְשׁוֹן מִצְרִי או לְשׁוֹן כַּשְׂדִּי, כִּי לֹא מָצָאנוּ רַק בְּדִבְרֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם. וְהַקָּרוֹב כְּדִבְרֵי רַשִׁ"י (בבראשית מא ח) שֶׁהִיא מִלָּה אֲרַמִּית מֻרְכֶּבֶת, חַר טָמֵי, הַנֶּחֱרִים בַּעֲצָמוֹת, כִּי נוֹדַע הוּא כִּי רֹב הָאֻמָּנוּת בְּעַצְמוֹת מֵתִים אוֹ בְּעַצְמוֹת חַיּוֹת, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁהִזְכִּירוּ בַּיִּדְּעוֹנִי (סנהדרין סה:):

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
AND THEY ALSO, THE MAGICIANS OF EGYPT, DID IN LIKE MANNER ‘B’LAHATEIHEM’ (WITH THEIR SECRET ARTS). Our Rabbis have said¹¹² that these are deeds of sorcerers who perform their arts through angels of destruction,¹¹³ the word *b’lahateihem* being derived from the expressions: *eish loheit* (*flaming fire*);¹¹⁴ *the flame ‘t’laheit’* (*burned up*) *the wicked*.¹¹⁵, 106:18. The purport [of the saying of the Sages] is that these deeds of sorcery are done by means of “the flaming ones,” angels of a fire that burns in man, and he does not know that the fire burns in him and pays no attention to it. It is similar in sense to the expression, “And the Eternal opened the eyes of the young man of Elisha, and behold there were horses of fire and chariots of fire.”¹¹⁶. Perhaps these are identical with the angels that dwell in the atmosphere of the spheres of the [four] elements,¹¹⁷ which are called *sarim* (lords).¹¹⁸ (lords), the word should be *sheidim* (demons). The first reading seems to be more correct here. I will explain this theme again [in the Book of Leviticus 17:7] with the help of the Rock.
But the word *b’lateihem*, [mentioned further in 8:3 — *And the magicians did in like manner ‘b’lateihem’*] — is explained [by the Rabbis] as meaning *sheidim* (demons) — the word being derived from the Hebrew word *lat* (secret): *Speak with David ‘balat’* (*secretly*) — since the demons come quietly inasmuch as they are ethereal bodies whose presence is not felt. This is why Scripture states [in Verse 11 before us] that Pharaoh called *for the wise men and the sorcerers*, for the wise men who knew [the art of] incanting and assembling the demons were the leaders and elders of the Egyptians.
The term *chartumei mitzrayim* (the magicians of Egypt) includes both of them, [i.e., the wise men and the sorcerers]. We do not know the root of the word *chartumei*. Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra says that it is either an Egyptian or Chaldean word since we find it only mentioned in their accounts.¹¹⁹ The more likely explanation is that of Rashi, who said¹²⁰ that it is an Aramaic compound-word: *char tami* (those who excite themselves by means of the bones [of the dead]). It is known that the greater part of this craft is one with the bones of dead persons or the bones of animals, just as they mentioned in the case of the *yid’oni*.¹²¹ takes the bone of a bird [or a beast] called *yido’a*, puts it into his mouth, burns incense, recites certain prayers, performs a certain ritual until he is in a condition akin to fainting, and falls into a trance in which he predicts the future” (Maimonides,”The Commandments,” Vol. II, p. 10).

footnotes:
¹¹² Sanhedrin 67b.
¹¹³ A term found in Kiddushin 72 a, and designating a supernatural being holding destructive power.
¹¹⁴ Psalms 104:4.
¹¹⁵ Ibid.
¹¹⁶ The verse, II Kings 6:17, reads: And the Eternal opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha
¹¹⁷ The four elements — fire, air, earth and water — are the basic components of all created things that are beneath the firmament, which is below the lunar sphere. See Rambam, Hilchoth Yesodei Hatorah 3:11 and 4:1.
¹¹⁸ See my Hebrew commentary, p. 310, that it is possible there is another reading here. Instead of sarim
¹¹⁹ Here, and in the Book of Daniel 2:2, and other places there.
¹²⁰ Rashi’s interpretation is found in Genesis 41:8.
¹²¹ Leviticus 19:31. “The yid’oni


###### Ramban on Exodus 7:16:1
[Ramban on Exodus 7:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/7:16:1)

**וְהִנֵּה לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ עַד כֹּה** בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁזֹּאת מַכָּה, וּמֵעַתָּה יַחֵל לְהַכּוֹתוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ כִּי רִשְׁעוֹ גּוֹרֵם לוֹ לְהָבִיא עָלָיו עֹנֶשׁ שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַע לְמִצְוַת בּוֹרְאוֹ. וְהִנֵּה פַּרְעֹה לֹא הָיָה אוֹמֵר לָהֶם בְּפֵרוּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע וְלֹא יְשַׁלַּח, רַק בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁאָמַר "לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶת ה' וְגַם אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחַ" (שמות ה':ב'), וְלֹא הָיָה גּוֹעֵר בָּהֶם רַק שׁוֹמֵעַ דִּבְרֵיהֶם וְשׁוֹתֵק, כִּי יִפְחַד מֵהַמַּכּוֹת מֵעֵת שֶׁעָשׂוּ לְפָנָיו מוֹפֵת הַתַּנִּין וּבָלַע מַטּוֹתָם, אַךְ בַּמַּכּוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת מְנַסֶּה אֶת הַחַרְטֻמִּים לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּהֵם, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהֵם מַעֲשֵׂה כְּשָׁפִים. וְהִנֵּה הוּא יָרֵא וּמִתְחַזֵּק, וְזֶה טַעַם "וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה":

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
AND, BEHOLD, HITHERTO THOU HAST NOT HEARKENED. Because this was one of the [ten] plagues and henceforth He will begin to smite him, He therefore said to him that it was his wickedness which was responsible for the bringing of the punishment upon him since he hearkened not to the command of his Creator. Now at this time, [i.e., when the warning about the first plague was given to him], Pharaoh did not declare to Moses and Aaron that he will neither hearken to G-d’s words nor let the people go. It was only at the first time [when they came before him] that he said, *I know not the Eternal, and moreover I will not let Israel go*.¹²² At present, he did not rebuke them; he only heard their words and remained silent, for since they performed the wonder of the serpent before him and Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods,¹²³ he was already afraid of the plagues, except that during the first plagues he attempted that the magicians do likewise, that is, by means of deeds of sorcery. Thus he was afraid, and yet he hardened his heart. This is the sense of the expression, *And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened*.¹²⁴

footnotes:
¹²² Above, 5:2.
¹²³ Verse 12.
¹²⁴ Further, Verse 22.


###### Ramban on Exodus 7:20:1
[Ramban on Exodus 7:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/7:20:1)

**וַיָּרֶם בַּמַּטֶּה וַיַּךְ אֶת הַמַּיִם** שֶׁהֵרִים וְנָטָה יָדוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הָרוּחוֹת, וְאח"כ הִכָּה הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאֹר לְעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה וְנֶהֶפְכוּ כָּל הַמַּיִם שֶׁבַּיְאוֹר לְדָם לְעֵינָיו, וַיְהִי הַדָּם עוֹד בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר (אבן עזרא על שמות ז':כ') כִּי הִזְכִּיר מַכַּת הַיְאוֹר וְלֹא חָשַׁשׁ לְהַזְכִּיר נְטִיַּת יָדוֹ עַל כָּל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
AND HE LIFTED UP THE ROD, AND SMOTE THE WATERS THAT WERE IN THE RIVER IN THE SIGHT OF PHARAOH. That is to say, Aaron lifted up the rod and stretched out his hand over the land of Egypt in all directions,¹²⁵ and afterwards *he smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh*. In Pharaoh’s sight, *all the waters that were in the river turned to blood, and the blood was* furthermore *throughout all the land of Egypt*.¹²⁶ And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that Scripture mentioned the smiting of the river but found it unnecessary to mention the stretching out of the hand [in all directions] over the entire land of Egypt.¹²⁷

footnotes:
¹²⁵ Ramban’s intent is to state that the lifting up of the rod, mentioned here in Verse 20, is identical with “stretch out thy hand,” mentioned in G-d’s command in Verse 19. Ibn Ezra, as stated further in the text, differs with this opinion.
¹²⁶ Verse 21. Ramban thus explains that the waters that were in the river turned to blood by reason of the smiting of the rod, while the waters in all other places turned into blood by reason of Aaron’s stretching forth his hand in all directions (Bachya).
¹²⁷ Thus according to Ibn Ezra, Scripture merely shortened its account here and did not mention the stretching out of Aaron’s hand, but not, as Ramban has it, that the stretching out of the hand is already included in the act of the smiting of the waters of the river.


###### Ramban on Exodus 7:23:1
[Ramban on Exodus 7:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/7:23:1)

**גַּם לָזֹאת** לְמוֹפֵת הַמַּטֶּה שֶׁנֶּהְפַּךְ לְתַנִּין וְגַם לָזֶה שֶׁל דָּם. וְיוֹתֵר נָכוֹן **גַּם לָזֹאת** שֶׁהָיְתָה מַכָּה, וְהָיָה לוֹ לִירֹא פֶּן תִּהְיֶה בּוֹ יַד הַשֵּׁם מֵעַתָּה:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
NEITHER DID HE SET HIS HEART TO THIS ALSO. I.e., to the wonder of the rod turning into a serpent,¹²⁸ nor to that of the waters turning into blood. [Thus the language of Rashi.] A more correct interpretation would appear to be that *to this also* means “to this also which was indeed a plague,” [as distinguished from the wonder of the rod turning into a serpent, which was not a plague at all], and he should have feared lest the power of G-d be upon him from now on.¹²⁹

footnotes:
¹²⁸ Above, Verse 10.
¹²⁹ See Ramban above in Verse 16, where he explains that beginning with the wonder of the rod, Pharaoh already began fearing the coming of the plagues. It is this then which Scripture says here: In spite of his fear which he already had then even before the plagues came, “also” now that the first plague did come and he should have feared the coming of other plagues, yet he did not set his heart to it.


###### Ramban on Exodus 7:25:1
[Ramban on Exodus 7:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ramban%20on%20Exodus/r/7:25:1)

וּפָסוּק **וַיִּמָּלֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים** קָשׁוּר בָּעֶלְיוֹן, וַיִּמָּלֵא בָּזֶה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, שֶׁחָפְרוּ מִצְרַיִם סְבִיבוֹת הַיְאוֹר וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת מִמֵּימֵי הַיְאֹר עַד מְלֹאת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אַחֲרֵי הַהַכָּאָה:

**Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976:**
*And seven days were fulfilled after that the Eternal had smitten the river*.¹³⁰ This is connected with the verse above, and the purport thereof is as follows: And with this¹³¹ (*And it was fulfilled*) *seven days*, using a singular verb when the verb actually required is a plural: *vayimal’u* (and they were fulfilled). Rashi explained it by adding the word *minyan* (number) in the singular, explaining it thus: “and *the number* of seven days was fulfilled.” Ramban suggests that the verse is connected to the preceding one and is to be understood with the additional word of *bazeh* (with this), thus rendering the sense of the verse: “and with this activity — i.e., with the Egyptians’ digging, etc., as stated in the above Verse 24 — was filled (or completed) seven days.” — namely, the Egyptians’ digging round about the river *for they could not drink of the water of the river*, [as stated in Verse 24] — with this was filled the seven days after the river had been smitten.

footnotes:
¹³⁰ Verse 25.
¹³¹ The verse states, ‘Vayimalei’