Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pharaoh didn't just call any old practitioners; he summoned Egypt's "wise men," "sorcerers," and "magicians"—titles highlighting their expertise in secret arts, deciphering, and enchanting. This shows the magicians weren't fringe figures but respected, learned individuals in Egyptian society, making their imitation of Moses' power a serious challenge to God's authority.
Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Moses and Aaron performed their first miraculous sign before Pharaoh, turning Aaron's staff into a serpent, the king didn't relent. Instead, he summoned Egypt's own wise men and sorcerers, challenging Moses and Aaron by having his magicians replicate the feat with their own staffs. Although their enchantments created illusions of serpents, Aaron's staff-serpent ultimately swallowed theirs, a clear display of God's power over Egypt's magic, yet Pharaoh's heart remained hardened.
Pharaoh didn't just call anyone when Moses performed his first mighty sign. He summoned the best of the best, the crème de la crème of Egypt's spiritual and intellectual elite.
The text calls them "wise men," "sorcerers," and "magicians." These weren't just common street performers; they were the learned elite of Egypt, deeply versed in what they believed were secret arts and hidden knowledge.
These weren't fringe players; they were the trusted advisors, the experts Pharaoh turned to. Their involvement signals how seriously Pharaoh took the challenge from Moses and Aaron, and how confident he was in his own kingdom's spiritual authority.
When Moses' staff turned into a serpent, the magicians didn't say, 'Wow, that's amazing!' They immediately tried to copy it. Why?
The Egyptian magicians replicated the sign of the serpent not necessarily because they possessed genuine supernatural power, but through their practiced 'enchantments' and 'secret arts.' These were likely a combination of:
Ask a follow-up
The key takeaway is that their 'miracles' were imitative and deceptive, designed to counter God's power with human or demonic trickery. Pharaoh saw them as rivals, not recognizing the vast difference between true divine power and skilled illusion.
The contest between Moses' staff and the magicians' staffs wasn't a tie. There was a decisive moment that revealed the true power at play.
While the Egyptian magicians could mimic the sign of the serpent, their power was ultimately limited and exposed. The text highlights this crucial difference:
Understand the original words
par‘ōh · Hebrew Noun
A title used for the monarchs of ancient Egypt; in the context of the Exodus, it represents the archetypal opponent of God and His people, characterized by pride and resistance to the divine will.
ḥākām · Hebrew Noun
Individuals possessing deep knowledge, discernment, or skill; in a biblical context, they often represent human intellectual or spiritual systems that oppose the revealed truth of God.
kāšap̱ · Hebrew Noun
Practitioners of occult or magical arts; those who seek supernatural power or information apart from the authority and power of the one true God.
lahaṭ · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Practitioners of magical or occult rituals, often associated with demonic or deceptive signs; in Scripture, they represent the futility of human power when confronted by the true authority of God.
lehāṭîm · Hebrew Noun
Hidden, clandestine, or mysterious practices; often associated with forbidden occult activities intended to manipulate or deceive through supernatural means.
The confrontation wasn't just between Moses and Pharaoh, but a theological showdown between the God of Israel and the powerful magic and deities of Egypt, revealing the limits of human wisdom and sorcery against divine power.
c. 1500-1200 BC
Flourishing of Egyptian Magic and Wisdom
Ancient Egypt had a highly developed system of magic, divination, and 'wisdom literature,' practiced by priests and scribes. These arts were deeply intertwined with religion and the state.
c. 1446 BC
Israelite Sojourn in Egypt
The Israelites had lived in Egypt for centuries, becoming a large population, but were later enslaved. Moses was raised in Pharaoh's court and educated in Egyptian learning.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh
Moses and Aaron, empowered by God, demanded Pharaoh release the Israelites. Pharaoh, initially dismissive, required a sign to prove their divine authority.
c. 1446 BC
Aaron's Rod Becomes a Serpent
Aaron cast down his staff, and it transformed into a serpent. This was the first miraculous sign presented to Pharaoh and his court.
c. 1446 BC
Egyptian Magicians Replicate the Sign
Pharaoh summoned Egypt's wise men and magicians, who, through their own arts, also made their rods turn into serpents, mimicking Moses and Aaron's feat.
c. 1446 BC
Aaron's Serpent Devours the Others
The serpent from Aaron's rod swallowed the serpents produced by the magicians, a clear demonstration of a higher power at work.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Heart is Hardened
Despite the overwhelming evidence of God's power, Pharaoh remained obstinate, refusing to let the Israelites go, a hardening attributed to both his own will and divine allowance.
This passage directly names the Egyptian magicians, Jannes and Jambres, who opposed Moses, referencing the same conflict described in Exodus.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5This passage discusses prophets or dreamers who perform signs and wonders to lead people astray, paralleling the 'lying wonders' of the Egyptian magicians and warning against being deceived by supernatural displays.
1 John 4:1This verse advises testing the spirits to see if they are from God, a crucial principle for discerning between God's true power and the deceptive arts of sorcery shown by Pharaoh's magicians.
Matthew 24:24Jesus warns about false Christs and false prophets performing great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, highlighting the deceptive nature of supernatural acts that do not originate from God, similar to what Pharaoh witnessed.
Revelation 13:13-14This passage describes the second beast performing great signs, even making fire come down from heaven, to deceive inhabitants, illustrating the powerful, deceptive miracles that can be performed by evil forces, mirroring the challenge presented by the Egyptian magicians.
clarkeExodus 7:11: "Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments."
Pharaoh - called the wise men - חכמים chacamim, the men of learning. Sorcerers, כשפים cashshephim, those who reveal hidden things; probably from the Arabic root kashafa, to reveal, uncover, etc., signifying diviners, or those who pretended to reveal what was in futurity, to discover things lost, to find hidden treasures, etc. Magicians, חרטמ…
bensonExodus 7:11: "Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments."
Exodus 7:11 . Moses had been originally instructed in the learning of the Egyptians, and was suspected to have improved in magical arts in his long retirement. The magicians are therefore sent for to vie with him. The two chief of them were Jannes and Jambres. Their rods became serpents, probably by the power of evil angels, artfully substitut…
Pharaoh didn't just call any old practitioners; he summoned Egypt's "wise men," "sorcerers," and "magicians"—titles highlighting their expertise in secret arts, deciphering, and enchanting. This shows the magicians weren't fringe figures but respected, learned individuals in Egyptian society, making their imitation of Moses' power a serious challenge to God's authority.
After Moses and Aaron performed their first miraculous sign before Pharaoh, turning Aaron's staff into a serpent, the king didn't relent. Instead, he summoned Egypt's own wise men and sorcerers, challenging Moses and Aaron by having his magicians replicate the feat with their own staffs. Although their enchantments created illusions of serpents, Aaron's staff-serpent ultimately swallowed theirs, a clear display of God's power over Egypt's magic, yet Pharaoh's heart remained hardened.
After Moses and Aaron performed their first miraculous sign before Pharaoh, turning Aaron's staff into a serpent, the king didn't relent. Instead, he summoned Egypt's own wise men and sorcerers, challenging Moses and Aaron by having his magicians replicate the feat with their own staffs. Although their enchantments created illusions of serpents, Aaron's staff-serpent ultimately swallowed theirs, a clear display of God's power over Egypt's magic, yet Pharaoh's heart remained hardened.
"Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts." — Pharaoh didn't just call any old practitioners; he summoned Egypt's "wise men," "sorcerers," and "magicians"—titles highlighting their expertise in secret arts, deciphering, and enchanting. This show…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026