Exodus 7:1-13
Expanded Bible
7 The Lord said to Moses, “I have made you ·like God [L God] to ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh], and your brother Aaron will be like a prophet for you [C just as God would speak to people through prophets so Moses would speak to Pharaoh through Aaron]. 2 Tell Aaron your brother everything that I command you, and let him tell ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] to let the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] leave his ·country [land]. 3 But I will ·make the king stubborn [L harden the heart of Pharaoh]. I will ·do many miracles [L multiply my signs and wonders] in Egypt, 4 but ·he will still refuse to listen [L Pharaoh will not listen to you]. So then I will ·punish Egypt terribly [L place my hand on Egypt with great judgments], and I will lead my ·divisions [hosts; companies; 6:26], my people the Israelites, out of ·that land [L the land of Egypt]. 5 I will ·punish Egypt with my power [L extend my hand against Egypt], and I will bring the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] ·out of that land [L from their midst]. Then the Egyptians will know I am the Lord.”
6 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded them. 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to ·the king [L Pharaoh].
Aaron’s Walking Stick Becomes a Snake
8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “Moses, when ·the king [L Pharaoh] asks you to do a ·miracle [wonder], tell Aaron to [L take and] throw his ·walking stick [staff] down in front of ·the king [L Pharaoh], and it will become a ·snake [serpent; 4:3–5; C symbols of dangerous power in Egypt; Pharaoh’s headdress had a serpent at its crest].”
10 So Moses and Aaron went to ·the king [L Pharaoh] as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw his ·walking stick [staff] down in front of ·the king [L Pharaoh] and his officers, and it became a ·snake [serpent].
11 So ·the king [L Pharaoh] called in his wise men and his ·magicians [sorcerers], and with their ·tricks [magic arts] the Egyptian magicians were able to do the same thing [C showing that they had spiritual powers supporting them]. 12 They threw their ·walking sticks [staffs] on the ground, and their ·sticks [staffs] became snakes. But Aaron’s ·stick [staff] swallowed theirs [C showing God’s power was superior]. 13 Still the king ·was stubborn [L hardened his heart] and refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
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