New King James Version
Exodus 7:12
12For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
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 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 in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. 14So the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; 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 8:18Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast.
- Exodus 9:11And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.
- Acts 8:9But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great,
- Acts 13:8But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
- Acts 19:19Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.
- 1 John 4:4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries