Exodus 7:12

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. 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.

Context of Exodus 7:12

10So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and so they did, just as the Lord had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it turned into a serpent. 11Then 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. For each one threw down his staff, and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs. 13Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. 14Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go.

Exodus 7:12 word by word

וַיַּשְׁלִ֙יכוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מַטֵּ֔הוּ וַיִּהְי֖וּ לְתַנִּינִ֑ם וַיִּבְלַ֥ע מַטֵּֽה־אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶת־מַטֹּתָֽם׃Read the interlinear

• For eachאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• threwשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
• his staffמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
• and they turnedהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• into serpentsתַּנִּיןtannîyn tannîym · serpent: snakeH8577
• But Aaron’sאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• swallowedבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104

Cross-references for Exodus 7:12

• Exodus 8:18The soothsayer priests tried with their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on every person and animal.
• Exodus 9:11The soothsayer priests could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the soothsayer priests as well as on all the Egyptians.
• Acts 8:9Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;
• Acts 13:8But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
• Acts 19:19And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they added up the prices of the books and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
• 1 John 4:4You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you 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

• Magician
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Aaron's Rod
• Die
• Enchantment
• Multiply
• Prophet
• Criticism
• Divorce in the Old Testament
• Dragon
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis

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