Exodus 7:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord spoke to Moses, instructing him to approach Pharaoh and position himself at the river's edge. It is likely that Pharaoh visited the river with the intention of offering sacrifices in the morning, or perhaps he routinely went there to refresh himself. The prevailing belief is that the king of Egypt, relying on the counsel of his magicians, performed a ritualistic offering to the Nile.

The Nile River was revered under different titles and emblems; for example, in Memphis, it was honored as Happi or Appis, the sacred bull representing Osiris, who embodies the fertility of the Nile. It is quite likely that the king rises in the morning to offer worship to the Nile, and the miracle he witnesses aligns perfectly with the unfolding narrative, demonstrating to Pharaoh that his god is under the authority of the Sovereign of the universe. Additionally, it is quite plausible that the day chosen by Pharaoh for Nile worship coincides with the festival marking the waters' rise, which occurs around mid-June.