Exodus 7:11
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)
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Pharaoh’s "wise men and sorcerers" are described by three distinct Hebrew terms, highlighting that these weren't just simple magicians, but a sophisticated class of Egyptian scholars and practitioners skilled in interpreting ancient writings, weaving charms, and revealing hidden things. This detail emphasizes the Egyptians' reliance on their own perceived wisdom and divine powers, setting up a stark contrast with the true power of God.
Moses and Aaron have just presented themselves to Pharaoh, and Aaron's staff has miraculously transformed into a serpent. Instead of being convinced, Pharaoh immediately summons his own wise men and magicians to replicate the feat, revealing his stubborn resistance and reliance on his own supposed mystical powers. This sets the stage for a spiritual showdown where God's power will be demonstrated through a series of plagues, progressively overwhelming Egypt's gods and the nation's faith in their own magic.
Pharaoh didn't just call anyone; he summoned Egypt's top 'experts.' Who were these people, and what were they known for?
Pharaoh called for a specific group of individuals: the chacamim (wise men), the cashshephim (sorcerers), and the chartummey (magicians). These weren't just dabblers; they represented the intellectual and mystical elite of Egypt.
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Their 'enchantments' (lahatim) suggest practices involving dazzling displays, possibly using fire or smoke, designed to create illusions and deceive the senses. These were the best Egypt had to offer, skilled in arts that could mimic the supernatural.
When Aaron’s rod became a snake, Pharaoh’s magicians did the same. Was this a real contest of power, or something else?
The confrontation between Moses, Aaron, and Pharaoh’s magicians reveals a critical distinction: the difference between imitation and true, divine power.
Pharaoh's magicians could replicate a sign, but they couldn’t originate power. Their 'magic' was a counterfeit, designed to deceive, whereas God's act was a genuine demonstration of His sovereign might.
After seeing Aaron's snake-rod devour theirs, why didn't Pharaoh let the people go? The text hints at a deeper hardening.
The magicians’ performance, even though ultimately overshadowed, had a profound effect on Pharaoh. It didn't convert him; it entrenched him.
This isn’t about God forcing Pharaoh to sin, but about God allowing Pharaoh’s chosen path of rebellion to run its course, thereby magnifying His own power and justice.
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 between Moses and Pharaoh wasn't just a battle of wills, but a spiritual contest. Egypt's renowned magicians, steeped in ancient lore and possibly demonically influenced, were called upon to counter God's power, revealing the depth of Pharaoh's defiant spirit and Egypt's reliance on its traditional spiritual authorities.
c. 15th century BC
Moses' Egyptian Upbringing
Moses was raised in Pharaoh's household, receiving education in Egyptian wisdom and potentially early forms of magic and religious practices.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh
Moses and Aaron, empowered by God, present their demand for Israel's release to Pharaoh, accompanied by the first sign: Aaron's staff turning into a serpent.
c. 1446 BC
Egyptian Magicians Replicate the Sign
Pharaoh summons Egypt's wise men and sorcerers, who mimic the staff-to-serpent miracle with their own enchantments, though Aaron's serpent devours theirs.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Heart is Hardened
Despite the superior display of power by Aaron's serpent, Pharaoh's heart remains hardened, showing his resistance to God's demands and his reliance on his own spiritual advisors.
c. 1446 BC
The First Plague: Water to Blood
Following Pharaoh's continued refusal, God sends the first plague, turning the Nile and all water in Egypt to blood, a miracle the magicians again attempt to replicate without success.
c. 1446 BC
Subsequent Plagues and Pharaoh's Resistance
A series of escalating plagues (frogs, gnats, flies, livestock pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and finally the death of the firstborn) follow, each met with Pharaoh's hardening heart and renewed reliance on his magicians.
This passage directly names the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses, Jannes and Jambres, connecting them to the narrative in Exodus 7.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5This passage discusses prophets who perform signs and wonders that come true but lead people astray, highlighting the deceptive nature of supernatural claims and the importance of staying true to God's commands.
Matthew 24:24Jesus warns about false christs and false prophets who will perform great signs and wonders to deceive, paralleling the deceptive powers displayed by the Egyptian magicians.
Exodus 7:12This verse immediately follows, detailing the specific outcome of the magicians' rods becoming serpents and Aaron's rod swallowing them, which serves as a direct comparison and refutation of their 'magic'.
1 John 4:1This verse instructs believers to test the spirits, warning that many false prophets have gone out into the world, which is relevant to discerning the source of the power displayed by the 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’s "wise men and sorcerers" are described by three distinct Hebrew terms, highlighting that these weren't just simple magicians, but a sophisticated class of Egyptian scholars and practitioners skilled in interpreting ancient writings, weaving charms, and revealing hidden things. This detail emphasizes the Egyptians' reliance on their own perceived wisdom and divine powers, setting up a stark contrast with the true power of God.
Moses and Aaron have just presented themselves to Pharaoh, and Aaron's staff has miraculously transformed into a serpent. Instead of being convinced, Pharaoh immediately summons his own wise men and magicians to replicate the feat, revealing his stubborn resistance and reliance on his own supposed mystical powers. This sets the stage for a spiritual showdown where God's power will be demonstrated through a series of plagues, progressively overwhelming Egypt's gods and the nation's faith in their own magic.
Moses and Aaron have just presented themselves to Pharaoh, and Aaron's staff has miraculously transformed into a serpent. Instead of being convinced, Pharaoh immediately summons his own wise men and magicians to replicate the feat, revealing his stubborn resistance and reliance on his own supposed mystical powers. This sets the stage for a spiritual showdown where God's power will be demonstrated through a series of plagues, progressively overwhelming Egypt's gods and the nation's faith in their own magic.
"Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts." — Pharaoh’s "wise men and sorcerers" are described by three distinct Hebrew terms, highlighting that these weren't just simple magicians, but a sophisticated class of Egyptian scholars and practitioner…
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