Exodus 7:11

ESV Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.

NIV Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts:

NASB Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they too, the soothsayer priests of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.

CSB But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers—the magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices.

NLT Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic.

KJV Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

NKJV But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

What does Exodus 7:11 mean?

Moses and Aaron have obeyed God's command (Exodus 7:8–10) to perform a miraculous sign (Exodus 4:2–4) in front of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Rather than accept this, Pharaoh calls on his team of enchanters to duplicate the feat. These men are described using various terms, all relating to illegitimate spiritual practices. "Sorcerers" are labeled with a Hebrew term implying contact with spirits. "Magicians" are tied to divination and necromancy: contacting the spirit world for information. These are all "wise men," a generic term for those with some specialized knowledge.

Interpreters debate exactly what happens in this verse. There is no question that Aaron's staff truly and supernaturally transformed, by the power of God. What's less clear is whether Pharaoh's men accomplished a real transformation, or merely the illusion of it. Similar questions arise about the early plagues (Exodus 7:22; 8:7). The Hebrew text says they did "the same," using the root word kēn. This can mean anything from "so," or "after," to "similarly" or "therefore."

Commentators question whether demonic spirits are given enough power to accomplish these signs. Snake-charming was a known practice (Psalm 58:4–5; Ecclesiastes 10:11; Jeremiah 8:17); perhaps a paralyzed snake was held up as a supposed stick, then dropped to move again. The magicians may have used sleight-of-hand tricks to replace a wooden pole with a live serpent.

Debate over the exact nature of the magician's work doesn't change the outcome. Whatever they did was enough to convince Pharaoh to ignore Moses and Aaron's demands. Nor would it change the dramatic sign included in this event: that Aaron's staff swallowed the staves of the magicians (Exodus 7:12). That should have overcome any thought that the two sides were equal.

Jewish tradition suggests the magicians recorded here were named Jannes and Jambres (2 Timothy 3:8).

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