Exodus 7:11

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9 “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ^a‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ^b‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’ ”

10 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just ^aas the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it ^bbecame a serpent.

11 But Pharaoh also ^acalled the wise men and ^bthe sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also ^cdid in like manner with their enchantments.

12 For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.

13 And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.

The First Plague: Waters Become Blood

14 So the Lord said to Moses: ^a“Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go.

15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, when he goes out to the ^awater, and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and ^bthe rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

<< Exodus 7:10

Exodus 7:12 >>

Exodus 7:11

Three names for the magicians of Egypt are given in this verse. The "wise men" are men who know occult arts. The "sorcerers" are they who "mutter magic formulae," especially when driving away crocodiles, snakes, asps, etc. It was natural that Pharaoh should have sent for such persons. The "magicians" are the "bearers of sacred words," scribes and interpreters of hieroglyphic writings. Books containing magic formulae belonged exclusively to the king; no one was permitted to consult them but the priests and wise men, who formed a council or college, and were called in by the Pharaoh on all occasions of difficulty.

The names of the two principal magicians, Jannes and Jambres, who "withstood Moses," are preserved by Paul, II Timothy 3:8. Both names are Egyptian.

Enchantments - The original expression implies a deceptive appearance, an illusion, a juggler' s trick, not an actual putting forth of magic power. Pharaoh may or may not have believed in a real transformation; but in either case he would naturally consider that if the portent performed by Aaron differed from that of the magicians, it was a difference of degree only, implying merely superiority in a common art. The miracle which followed Exodus 7:12 was sufficient to convince him had he been open to conviction. It was a miracle which showed the truth and power of Yahweh in contrast with that of others.

Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Exodus 7:11:

Genesis 3:8-21
Deuteronomy 18:10
1 Samuel 6:2
1 Kings 4:30
Daniel 1:20
Daniel 2:2
2 Timothy 3:8

<< Exodus 7:10

Exodus 7:12 >>

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