This verse introduces a third option for Moses. The If applies to two possibilities: they will not believe and they will not … heed your voice. Good News Translation repeats the “if” for clarity: “If … they still will not believe you, and if they refuse to listen.” Believe here refers to the signs rather than believing Moses, but it may be understood as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh: “if they are not convinced by both these signs.” These two signs refers to the “miracles” of the rod and the hand (see verse 8). The even is made more forceful with “If in spite of these two miracles” (Good News Translation). Or heed your voice is the same expression as in 4.1.

You shall take some water from the Nile assumes that Moses will be standing near the Nile River in Egypt. It does not indicate how he is to take it nor how much. However, there will be a specific term in many languages for “dipping up” liquid with either a ladle or a container of some kind. Such a term should be used here. But pour it upon the dry ground suggests the use of an ordinary water jar. The word for dry ground means “dry place” and may be understood simply as “the ground” in contrast to the water.

And the water which you shall take from the Nile is already clear from the context and may simply be rendered as “it.” Will become blood means “The water will turn into blood” (Good News Translation). This does not refer to the entire river but only to what is poured upon the dry ground. Thus it is not to be confused with the first of the “plagues,” which come later.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .