The message of judgment begins with a judgment against Pharaoh, who is called a great sea monster. In the ancient Near East, sea monsters were common in stories about the gods. These creatures represented chaos, which the gods had to control. In Genesis 1:21, however, sea creatures appear as part of God’s good creation. They are not enemies of God.
In this chapter, the image changes slightly. The sea monster also reflects Pharaoh as a great crocodile. He rests confidently in the streams that flow through the Nile River delta.