Shocked visitors stood by the shore, watching as the country’s largest freshwater lake developed large, unusual crimson patches across its surface — an image that stirred strong religious concerns for many.
In the Old Testament, there’s a famous account where God turned the Nile River into blood as a warning to Egypt. This happened because Pharaoh repeatedly refused to free the Israelites from slavery during their time in the land.
For many people of faith today, witnessing such a color change in a body of water can feel like a symbolic or prophetic reminder of that ancient plague.
“Thus says the Lord: By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood.” Exodus 7:17-21 reads.
Some of the most well-known moments from the Gospels — such as Jesus walking on water and calming a raging storm — happened right here on this very lake.
That’s why unusual events here often get tied to end-of-the-world prophecies, like those described in the Book of Revelation, where waters turning to blood are said to be a sign of divine judgment during the final days.
Israel’s Water Authority explained that the ‘red coloration is due to the accumulation of a natural pigment secreted by the algae in response to strong sun exposure.’
They assured the public in a statement released on Monday (August 4) that the pigment is harmless and poses no threat to people or the lake’s overall health.
“No allergic reactions have been reported in areas where the algae has previously appeared.” they explained.
“Damn the Sea of Galilee is red I wonder what that means.” another commented.
“The Sea of Galilee in Israel turned red this is straight out of the bible.” someone else remarked.
