Exodus 7:6-16

6 Moses and Aaron did what the Lord commanded.

7 At the time when they spoke to the king, Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three.

8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

9 "If the king demands that you prove yourselves by performing a miracle, tell Aaron to take his walking stick and throw it down in front of the king, and it will turn into a snake."

10 So Moses and Aaron went to the king and did as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw his walking stick down in front of the king and his officers, and it turned into a snake.

11 Then the king called for his wise men and magicians, and by their magic they did the same thing.

12 They threw down their walking sticks, and the sticks turned into snakes. But Aaron's stick swallowed theirs.

13 The king, however, remained stubborn and, just as the Lord had said, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, "The king is very stubborn and refuses to let the people go. ¹

15 So go and meet him in the morning when he goes down to the Nile. Take with you the walking stick that was turned into a snake, and wait for him on the riverbank.

16 Then say to the king, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to tell you to let his people go, so that they can worship him in the desert. But until now you have not listened.

Exodus 7:6-16 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.

Cross References

• 1. +27.14-24Wisdom 11.6-8.