Exodus 7:12

12 Want een ieder wierp zijn staf neder, en zij werden tot draken; maar Aarons staf verslond hun staven.

Exodus 7:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 7:12

For they cast down every man his rod, and they became
serpents
That is, they seemed to be so, as Josephus ^F26 expresses it, but not really, in which he is followed by many; though some think that the devil assisted in this affair, and in an instant, as soon as the rods were cast down, removed them and put real serpents in their room:

but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods;
that is, the serpent that Aaron's rod was turned into, swallowed up the rods of the magicians, which never were otherwise than rods only in appearance; or if real serpents were put in the room of them, these were devoured by his serpent called his rod, because it was before turned into a serpent, as Aben Ezra observes; though the Targums of Jonathan, Jarchi, and R. Jeshua, suppose this was done after the serpent became a rod again; which makes the miracle the greater and more wonderful, that a rod should devour other rods; and supposing them real serpents, this was what the magicians could not make their rods do, and in which they were outdone by Aaron.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Antiqu. ut supra. (l. 2. c. 13 sect. 3.)

Exodus 7:12 In-Context

10 Toen ging Mozes en Aaron tot Farao henen in, en deden alzo, gelijk de HEERE geboden had; en Aaron wierp zijn staf neder voor Farao's aangezicht, en voor het aangezicht zijner knechten; en hij werd tot een draak.

11 Farao nu riep ook de wijzen en de guichelaars; en de Egyptische tovenaars deden ook alzo met hun bezweringen.

12 Want een ieder wierp zijn staf neder, en zij werden tot draken; maar Aarons staf verslond hun staven.

13 Doch Farao's hart verstokte, zodat hij naar hen niet hoorde, gelijk de HEERE gesproken had.

14 Toen zeide de HEERE tot Mozes: Farao's hart is zwaar; hij weigert het volk te laten trekken.