Exodus 7:11
New International Version
Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts:

New Living Translation
Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic.

English Standard Version
Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.

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

King James Bible
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

New King James Version
But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

New American Standard Bible
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they too, the soothsayer priests of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.

NASB 1995
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.

NASB 1977
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.

Amplified Bible
Then Pharaoh called for the wise men [skilled in magic and omens] and the sorcerers [skilled in witchcraft], and they also, these magicians (soothsayer-priests) of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts and enchantments.

Christian Standard Bible
But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers—the magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers—the magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices.

American Standard Version
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers: and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers, and also those sorcerers of Egypt did likewise by their sorceries.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But Pharao called together the wise men of Egypt, and the sorcerers, and the charmers also of the Egyptians did likewise with their sorceries.

Contemporary English Version
Then the king called in the wise men and the magicians, who used their secret powers to do the same thing--

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Pharao called the wise men and the magicians: and they also by Egyptian enchantments and certain secrets did in like manner.

English Revised Version
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers: and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Pharaoh sent for his wise men and sorcerers. These Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic spells.

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

International Standard Version
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and sorcerers, and they—along with the Egyptian magicians—did the same thing with their secret arts.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts.

Literal Standard Version
And Pharaoh also calls for wise men and for sorcerers; and the enchanters of Egypt, they also, with their [enchanting] flames, do so,

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

New American Bible
Pharaoh, in turn, summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing by their magic arts.

NET Bible
Then Pharaoh also summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the magicians of Egypt by their secret arts did the same thing.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts.

New Heart English Bible
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Pharaoh also called the wise-men, and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

World English Bible
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments.

Young's Literal Translation
And Pharaoh also calleth for wise men, and for sorcerers; and the scribes of Egypt, they also, with their flashings, do so,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Aaron's Staff Becomes a Serpent
10So 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. 11But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts. 12Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.…

Cross References
2 Timothy 3:8
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.

2 Timothy 3:9
But they will not advance much further. For just like Jannes and Jambres, their folly will be plain to everyone.

Revelation 13:13
And the second beast performed great signs to cause even fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people.

Revelation 13:14
Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived.

Genesis 41:8
In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

Exodus 7:12
Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron's staff swallowed up the other staffs.

Exodus 7:22
But the magicians of Egypt did the same things by their magic arts. So Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.


Treasury of Scripture

Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

wise men

Genesis 41:8,38,39
And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh…

Isaiah 19:11,12
Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellers of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? …

Isaiah 47:12,13
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail…

sorcerers.

the also

Exodus 7:22
And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

Exodus 8:7,18
And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt…

Deuteronomy 13:1-3
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, …

enchantments.

Jump to Previous
Arts Egypt Egyptian Enchantments Flashings Magicians Manner Pharaoh Scribes Secret Sorcerers Summoned Wise Wonder-Workers
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Arts Egypt Egyptian Enchantments Flashings Magicians Manner Pharaoh Scribes Secret Sorcerers Summoned Wise Wonder-Workers
Exodus 7
1. Moses and Aaron are encouraged to go again to Pharaoh
8. Aaron's rod is turned into a serpent
11. The sorcerers do the like; but their rods are swallowed up by Aaron's
13. Pharaoh's heart is hardened
14. God's message to Pharaoh
19. The river is turned into blood; and the consequent distress of the Egyptians














(11) The magicians of Egypt.--These persons are called indifferently khakamim, "wise men," me-kashshephim, "mutterers of charms," and khartum-mim, "scribes," perhaps "writers of charms." Magic was very widely practised in Egypt, and consisted mainly in the composition and employment of charms, which were believed to exert a powerful effect, both over man and over the brute creation. A large part of the "Ritual of the Dead" consists of charms, which were to be uttered by the soul in Hades, in order to enable it to pass the various monsters which it would encounter there. Charms were also regarded as potent in this life to produce or remove disease, and avert the attacks of noxious animals. Some Egyptian works are mere collections of magical receipts, and supply strange prescriptions which are to be used, and mystic words which are to be uttered. A Jewish tradition, accepted by the Apostle Paul (2Timothy 3:6), spoke of two magicians as the special opponents of Moses, and called them "Jannes and Jambres." (See the Tar-gums of Jerusalem and of Jonathan, and comp. Numen, ap. Euseb. Pr?p. e. ix. 8.) The former of these, Jannes, obtained fame as a magician among the classical writers, and is mentioned by Pliny (H. N. xxx. 1) and Apuleius (Apolog. p. 108). It has been supposed by some that the magicians were really in possession of supernatural powers, obtained by a connection with evil spirits; but, on the whole, it is perhaps most probable that they were merely persons acquainted with many secrets of nature not generally known, and trained in tricks of sleight-of-hand and conjuring.

They also did in like manner.--The magicians had entered into the royal presence with, apparently, rods in their hands, such as almost all Egyptians carried. These they cast down upon the ground, when they were seen to be serpents. This was, perhaps, the mere exhibition of a trick, well known to Egyptian serpent-charmers in all ages (Description de l'Egypte, vol. i. p. 159), by which a charmed serpent is made to look like a stick for a time, and then disenchanted. Or it may have been effected by sleight-of-hand, which seems to be the true meaning of the word l?hatim, translated "enchantments." (Rosenmller, Scholia in Exodum, p. 110.)

Verse 11. - Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers. That magic was an object of much attention and study in Egypt is abundantly evident from "The tale of Setnau" ('Records of the Past,' vol. 4. pp. 133-148), "The Magic Papyrus" (ibid. vol. 10. pp. 137-158), and many other writings. It consisted, to a large extent, in charms, which were thought to have power over men and beasts, especially over reptiles. What amount of skill and power the Egyptian magicians possessed may perhaps be doubted. Many commentators believe them to have been in actual communication With the unseen world, and to have worked their wonders by the assistance of evil spirits. Others, who reject this explanation, believe that they themselves were in possession of certain supernatural gifts. But the commonest view at the present day regards them as simply persons who had a knowledge of many secrets of nature which were generally unknown, and who used this knowledge to impress men with a belief in their supernatural power. The words used to express "magicians" and "enchantments" support this view. The magicians are called khakamim, "wise men," "men educated in human and divine wisdom" (Keil and Delitzsch); mekashshephim, "charmers," "mutterers of magic words" (Gesenius); and khartummim, which is thought to mean either "sacred scribes" or "bearers of sacred words" (Cook). The word translated "enchantments" is lehatim, which means "secret" or "hidden arts" (Gesenius). On the whole, we regard it as most probable that the Egyptian "magicians" of this time were jugglers of a high class, well skilled in serpent-charming and other kindred arts, but not possessed of any supernatural powers. The magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments. The magicians, aware of the wonder which would probably be wrought, had prepared themselves; they had brought serpents, charmed and stiffened so as to look like rods (a common trick in Egypt: 'Description de l'Egypte,' vol. 1. p. 159) in their hands; and when Aaron's rod became a serpent, they threw their stiffened snakes upon the ground, and disenchanted them, so that they were seen to be what they were - shakos, and not really rods.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But Pharaoh
פַּרְעֹ֔ה (par·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

called
וַיִּקְרָא֙ (way·yiq·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

the wise men
לַֽחֲכָמִ֖ים (la·ḥă·ḵā·mîm)
Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2450: Wise

and sorcerers
וְלַֽמְכַשְּׁפִ֑ים (wə·lam·ḵaš·šə·p̄îm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3784: To whisper a, spell, to inchant, practise magic

and magicians
חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י (ḥar·ṭum·mê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2748: An engraver, writer

of Egypt,
מִצְרַ֛יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

and they
הֵ֜ם (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

also
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

did
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֨וּ (way·ya·‘ă·śū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

the same things
כֵּֽן׃ (kên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

by their magic arts.
בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶ֖ם (bə·la·hă·ṭê·hem)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3858: A blaze, magic


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OT Law: Exodus 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 7:10
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