Exodus 7:12
New International Version
Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

New Living Translation
They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

English Standard Version
For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

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

King James Bible
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

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

New American Standard Bible
For each one threw down his staff, and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.

NASB 1995
For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

NASB 1977
For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

Legacy Standard Bible
And each one threw down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

Amplified Bible
For every man threw down his staff and they turned into serpents; but Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

Christian Standard Bible
Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.

American Standard Version
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Contemporary English Version
they threw down sticks that turned into snakes. But Aaron's snake swallowed theirs.

English Revised Version
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Each of them threw his staff down, and they all became large snakes. But Aaron's staff swallowed theirs.

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

International Standard Version
So each one threw down his staff and it became a serpent, but Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.

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

NET Bible
Each man threw down his staff, and the staffs became snakes. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.

New Heart English Bible
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Webster's Bible Translation
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

World English Bible
For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they each cast down his rod, and they become dragons, and the rod of Aaron swallows their rods;

Young's Literal Translation
and they cast down each his rod, and they become monsters, and the rod of Aaron swalloweth their rods;

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will cast down each their rod, and they will be for dragons: and Aaron's rod swallowed their rods.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they every one cast down their rods, and they were turned into serpents: but Aaron's rod devoured their rods.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And each one cast down their staffs, and they were turned into serpents. But the staff of Aaron devoured their staffs.

New American Bible
Each one threw down his staff, and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.

New Revised Standard Version
Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For they cast down every man his staff and they became serpents; but Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the men cast, each one, his staff, before Pharaoh and they became dragonssea serpents, and the scepter of Aaron devoured their staves.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they cast down each his rod, and they became serpents, but the rod of Aaron swallowed up their rods.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Aaron's Staff Becomes 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. 13Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.…

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.

Matthew 24:24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Acts 13:8-10
But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. / Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas / and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

Revelation 13:13-14
And the second beast performed great signs, even causing fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people. / 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.

2 Thessalonians 2:9
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,

Mark 13:22
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

Revelation 16:14
These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Matthew 7:22
Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

Deuteronomy 13:1-3
If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, / and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,” / you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

1 Kings 18:21-22
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word. / Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.

Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Jeremiah 14:14
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.

Ezekiel 13:6-7
They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message. / Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken?


Treasury of Scripture

For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

but Aaron's

Exodus 8:18,19
And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast…

Exodus 9:11
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

Acts 8:9-13
But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: …

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Aaron Aaron's Cast Earth Meal Monsters Rod Rods Serpents Snake Snakes Staff Staffs Staves Swallowed Threw Turned
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Aaron Aaron's Cast Earth Meal Monsters Rod Rods Serpents Snake Snakes Staff Staffs Staves Swallowed Threw Turned
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














Each one threw down his staff
This phrase refers to the magicians of Egypt, who were able to replicate the miracle performed by Aaron. The Hebrew word for "staff" is "מַטֶּה" (matteh), which can also mean "rod" or "branch." In ancient cultures, staffs were symbols of authority and power. The act of throwing down the staff signifies a challenge or a demonstration of power. Historically, Egyptian magicians were known for their skills in illusion and trickery, which they used to maintain the Pharaoh's authority and the people's belief in the gods of Egypt.

and it became a serpent
The transformation of the staff into a serpent is a direct challenge to the Egyptian magicians, who also perform this act. The Hebrew word for "serpent" is "תַּנִּין" (tannin), which can mean a large snake or a sea monster. In the context of Egyptian mythology, serpents were often associated with chaos and danger, but also with protection and royalty, as seen in the uraeus, the cobra symbol on the Pharaoh's crown. This miracle demonstrates God's power over the symbols of Egyptian authority and chaos.

But Aaron’s staff
Aaron, as the brother of Moses and the first high priest, represents the authority of God among the Israelites. His staff is not just a tool but a symbol of divine power and leadership. The emphasis on "Aaron’s staff" highlights the superiority of God's power over the magicians' tricks. In the broader narrative of Exodus, Aaron's role is crucial as he acts as Moses' spokesperson and performs many of the signs and wonders.

swallowed up their staffs
The act of Aaron's staff swallowing the magicians' staffs is a powerful demonstration of God's supremacy. The Hebrew word for "swallowed" is "בָּלַע" (bala), which conveys the idea of complete consumption or destruction. This act is not just a physical swallowing but a symbolic victory over the forces of Egypt. It foreshadows the eventual defeat of Pharaoh and the liberation of the Israelites. In a spiritual sense, it represents the triumph of God's truth over deception and falsehood.

Verse 12. - But Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. Aaron's serpent turned upon its rivals and devoured them, thus exhibiting a marked superiority.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Each
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

one threw down
וַיַּשְׁלִ֙יכוּ֙ (way·yaš·lî·ḵū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7993: To throw out, down, away

his staff,
מַטֵּ֔הוּ (maṭ·ṭê·hū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

and it became
וַיִּהְי֖וּ (way·yih·yū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a serpent.
לְתַנִּינִ֑ם (lə·ṯan·nî·nim)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8577: A marine, land monster, sea-serpent, jackal

But Aaron’s
אַהֲרֹ֖ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

staff
מַטֵּֽה־ (maṭ·ṭêh-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

swallowed up
וַיִּבְלַ֥ע (way·yiḇ·la‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1104: To swallow down, swallow up, engulf

[the other] staffs.
מַטֹּתָֽם׃ (maṭ·ṭō·ṯām)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe


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OT Law: Exodus 7:12 For they cast down every man his (Exo. Ex)
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