But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pharaoh's magicians could only mimic a small part of the plague, operating on separate water sources while the Nile remained blood, yet this mimicry was enough to harden his heart. This highlights that Pharaoh wasn't looking for truth, but an excuse, readily accepting a cheap imitation over the undeniable power of God.
But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pharaoh's magicians attempted to replicate the miracle of the water turned to blood with their own "secret arts." However, their imitation was a mere trick, likely performed on a small scale while the divine plague affected the entire land's water sources. This deception, though insufficient to truly match God's power, was enough for Pharaoh's hardened heart to dismiss Moses and Aaron's demand to let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had foretold.
The first plague hits Egypt: the Nile turns to blood. But then, the Egyptian magicians do something similar. How does this happen, and what does it reveal about true power?
When Moses and Aaron struck the Nile, it turned to blood, killing the fish and making the water undrinkable. This was a powerful display of God's authority over creation. Yet, the magicians of Egypt were able to perform a similar feat with their 'enchantments.'
A Faint Reflection
It's crucial to understand that what the magicians did was a pale imitation, not a true match, for God's miracle. They couldn't reverse the plague or purify the water – the real test of power. Instead, they likely used sleight-of-hand or perhaps even genuine demonic assistance to create a similar appearance of blood in small amounts of water they managed to procure. This wasn't about matching God's power, but about creating confusion and deception.
The Purpose of Imitation
God allowed the magicians to mimic the plague. Why? Because Pharaoh needed an excuse to harden his heart. Seeing a seeming parallel, he could dismiss the event as mere magic, not a divine judgment. This highlights a pattern: evil often mimics good, and deception can masquerakde as truth, all to keep people from submitting to the real authority of God.
Pharaoh sees the terrifying plague, yet the magicians' trick makes him dig in his heels. What's going on inside his heart, and how does God's word predict this response?
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The verse states plainly: 'Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.' This isn't just about Pharaoh being stubborn; it's about a deliberate hardening that was foretold.
Divine Foreknowledge and Human Responsibility
It's easy to read this and think Pharaoh had no choice. However, the Bible consistently presents a complex reality: God’s sovereign knowledge and will are at work, and humans are responsible for their choices. Pharaoh chose to believe the deception of the magicians over the clear message of Moses and Aaron.
The Lord Had Said
The phrase 'as the LORD had said' is crucial. God told Moses beforehand that Pharaoh would not listen (Exodus 7:4). This wasn't a passive prediction; it was a declaration of what God knew Pharaoh would do, and what God would allow to happen as part of His plan to demonstrate His power and bring about Israel's deliverance.
Pharaoh's hardened heart became the very instrument God used to magnify His judgments and display His might to Egypt and the world. His refusal wasn't a surprise to God, but a planned part of the unfolding drama.
Understand the original words
chartom · Hebrew Noun
Individuals in the Egyptian court who utilized occult practices or sorcery to oppose the works of God. Their ability to replicate the plague indicates that while demonic power is real, it is ultimately subservient to the sovereignty of the LORD.
latim · Hebrew Noun
Practices involving forbidden occult powers or manipulation, used here to imitate miraculous signs. Such arts represent a direct defiance of the LORD's authority and an attempt to maintain control in the face of divine judgment.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The seat of the human will, intellect, and emotions. A 'hardened' heart signifies a state of stubborn resistance, persistent unbelief, and the willful rejection of God's truth and authority.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name for the God of Israel, YHWH. He is the self-existent, eternal, and all-powerful Creator who acts in history to redeem His people and judge the wicked.
The magicians' ability to mimic the plague of blood, while a deception, served to reinforce Pharaoh's hardened heart, illustrating how human resistance can twist even supernatural displays to justify disbelief, a pattern God allowed to unfold according to His plan.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites' Sojourn in Egypt
The Israelites had been living in Egypt for centuries, eventually becoming enslaved under a Pharaoh who did not remember Joseph's service.
c. 1446 BC
Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh
God commanded Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites, but Pharaoh initially refused.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood
As a demonstration of God's power, Moses and Aaron turned the Nile River and all its waters into blood, killing the fish and making the water undrinkable for Egyptians.
c. 1446 BC
Magicians Imitate the Plague
The magicians of Egypt, using their 'secret arts' or enchantments, were able to create a similar, though lesser, effect with smaller amounts of water, convincing Pharaoh.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Heart Remains Hardened
Despite the plague and the magicians' imitation, Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he refused to let the Israelites go, as God had foretold.
c. 1446 BC
Subsequent Plagues Inflicted
Following Pharaoh's continued refusal, God sent nine more devastating plagues upon Egypt, escalating the confrontation.
This passage highlights a similar confrontation between true divine power and the deceptive practices of false prophets, where Elijah stands alone against 450 prophets of Baal.
John 10:30Jesus' declaration of unity with the Father ('I and the Father are one') stands in stark contrast to the magicians' divided and limited power, underscoring the unique authority of God.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12This passage speaks of a deceptive power that performs signs and wonders to lead people astray, paralleling the magicians' attempts to mimic God's power and Pharaoh's willingness to be deceived.
Isaiah 19:3This prophecy directly addresses Egypt's reliance on its wise men and idols, suggesting that their 'counsel' and 'magic' would ultimately fail against the Lord's hand.
Matthew 12:24When Jesus performs miracles, the Pharisees accuse Him of casting out demons by Beelzebul, showing a similar pattern of attributing divine power to demonic forces, just as Pharaoh did with his magicians.
gillExodus 7:22: "And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said."
And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments,.... Who were either in company with Pharaoh and his nobles, or were immediately sent for to try their art, and confront Moses and Aaron with it; and who very probably got a little water in a vessel, and by some juggling trick imposing upon, and deceiving the sight of Pharaoh…
bensonExodus 7:22: "And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said."
Exodus 7:22 . The magicians did so — By God’s permission; with their enchantments — It seems they performed real miracles, for the text says expressly they did the same as Moses, and probably to their own surprise, as well as that of others, not knowing that any such effect would follow upon their using enchantments. Certainly they w…
Pharaoh's magicians could only mimic a small part of the plague, operating on separate water sources while the Nile remained blood, yet this mimicry was enough to harden his heart. This highlights that Pharaoh wasn't looking for truth, but an excuse, readily accepting a cheap imitation over the undeniable power of God.
Pharaoh's magicians attempted to replicate the miracle of the water turned to blood with their own "secret arts." However, their imitation was a mere trick, likely performed on a small scale while the divine plague affected the entire land's water sources. This deception, though insufficient to truly match God's power, was enough for Pharaoh's hardened heart to dismiss Moses and Aaron's demand to let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had foretold.
Pharaoh's magicians attempted to replicate the miracle of the water turned to blood with their own "secret arts." However, their imitation was a mere trick, likely performed on a small scale while the divine plague affected the entire land's water sources. This deception, though insufficient to truly match God's power, was enough for Pharaoh's hardened heart to dismiss Moses and Aaron's demand to let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had foretold.
"But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said." — Pharaoh's magicians could only mimic a small part of the plague, operating on separate water sources while the Nile remained blood, yet this mimicry was enough to harden his heart. This highlights…
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Last reviewed October 2026