Exodus 7:8-13

Aaron’s Staff

8 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

9 “When Pharaoh tells you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ you are to say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a serpent. ^[a]”

10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent.

11 But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts.

12 Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.

13 Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, ^[b] and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

Exodus 7:8-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 7

Moses and Aaron are ordered to go to Pharaoh, and require the dismission of the people of Israel, but they are told before hand that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened, and would refuse to let them go, until the hand of the Lord was stretched out, and great judgments were brought down upon, Egypt, and then they should come forth, Ex 7:1-5, which orders Moses and Aaron obeyed, and their age is observed, when this was done, Ex 7:6,7 and they are bid to work a miracle, when Pharaoh should demand one, by turning a rod into a serpent, which they did; but Pharaoh's magicians doing the same in appearance, his heart was hardened, Ex 7:8-14 and then they are directed to meet him at the river, and require the same as before; and if he refused, to smite the waters of the river with the rod, and turn them into blood, which they did, Ex 7:15-21, but Pharaoh's magicians doing the same by enchantments, he did not regard it, though the plague lasted seven days, Ex 7:22-25.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew tannin; here and in verse 10, in contrast to Moses’ staff, which became a nachash in Exodus 4:3 and was noted again in Exodus 7:15
• [b]. Or stiffened or strengthened; also in verse 22