English Standard Version
Exodus 7:12
12For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.
Exodus 7:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
- New International Version (NIV)Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
Context of Exodus 7:12
10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. 13Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 14Then the Lord said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go.
Read all of Exodus 7Exodus 7:12 word by word
וַיַּשְׁלִ֙יכוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מַטֵּ֔הוּ וַיִּהְי֖וּ לְתַנִּינִ֑ם וַיִּבְלַ֥ע מַטֵּֽה־אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶת־מַטֹּתָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 7:12
- Exodus 8:18The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast.
- Exodus 9:11And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians.
- Acts 8:9But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
- Acts 13:8But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
- Acts 19:19And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
- 1 John 4:4Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Commentaries on Exodus 7:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods - As Egypt was remarkably addicted to magic, sorcery, etc., it was necessary that God should permit Pharaoh's wise men to act to the utmost of their skill in order to imitate the work of God, that his superiority might be clearly seen, and his powerful working incontestably ascertained; and this was fully done when Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. We have already seen that the names of two of the chief of these…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 What men dislike, because it opposes their pride and lusts, they will not be convinced of; but it is easy to cause them to believe things they wish to be true. God always sends with his word full proofs of its Divine authority; but when men are bent to disobey, and willing to object, he often permits a snare to be laid wherein they are entangled. The magicians were cheats, trying to copy the real miracles of Moses by secret sleights or…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-13Through the plagues, God showed that the Egyptians’ gods were not true sources of life. People believed these gods gave life and protection, but they could not save anyone. Instead of bringing life, they were linked with death when compared to the Lord. Only the Lord has the power to give life (see 12:12; 18:11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods--This was what they could not be prepared for, and the discomfiture appeared in the loss of their rods, which were probably real serpents.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 7:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries