²⁰ Moses and Aaron did just what the Lord had commanded. Aaron^[a] raised his staff and struck the water in the Nile River^[b] in front of^[c] Pharaoh and his^[d] officials,^[e] and all the water in the Nile River^[f] turned to blood. ²¹ The fish in the Nile River^[g] died and the river^[h] stank. The Egyptians were not able to drink water from the Nile River,^[i] and blood was throughout the land of Egypt. ²² But the Egyptian magicians did the same thing^[j] with their secret arts. Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn,^[k] and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.