Exodus 7:1-13

1Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now hear this: I make you as God to Pharaoh [to declare My will and purpose to him]; and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.

2You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go out of his land.

3And I will make Pharaoh’s heart hard, and multiply My signs and My wonders (miracles) in the land of Egypt.

4But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I shall lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts [like a defensive army, tribe by tribe], My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment (the plagues).

5The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”

6And Moses and Aaron did so; just as the Lord commanded them, so they did.

7Now Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.

8Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

9“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Work a miracle [to prove your authority],’ then you say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, so that it may become a serpent.’ ”

10So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and did just as the Lord had commanded; Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent.

11Then 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.

12For every man threw down his staff and they turned into serpents; but Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

13Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.