For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
Parallel translations
- KJV For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
- BSB Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.
- NKJV For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
- NASB For each one threw down his staff, and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.
- NLT They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The magicians' rods become serpents, but Aaron's rod swallows them. God's power decisively overcomes Egypt's counterfeit.
Overview
Though the magicians match the sign, Aaron's serpent devours theirs, signaling Yahweh's supremacy over all rival powers from the very first encounter. The counterfeit is real enough to deceive but utterly inferior to the true work of God. This dramatic swallowing foreshadows the certain triumph of God over every opposing power, fulfilled when Christ disarms the rulers and authorities at the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 1 Jn 4:4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.
- Exod 8:18–19The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal.
- Exod 9:11The magicians couldn’t stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians.
- Acts 13:8–11But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.
- Acts 19:19–20Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.
- Acts 8:9–13But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 7:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.