Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Serpent
Exodus 7:8-13
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Exo.7.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואל: CONJ+PREP
- אהרן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
Parallels
- Exodus 4:15-16 (verbal): God instructs that Aaron will speak for Moses (‘and he shall be to thee instead of a mouth’), establishing the joint Moses–Aaron working relationship that the formula in 7:8 introduces.
- Exodus 3:10 (thematic): Divine commissioning of Moses to confront Pharaoh and lead Israel out of Egypt—the broader mission that the address to Moses and Aaron in 7:8 brings into action.
- Exodus 7:9-12 (structural): Immediate continuation of 7:8: the LORD provides the specific instructions and signs for Moses and Aaron to perform before Pharaoh (Aaron’s rod becoming a serpent), showing 7:8 as the formulaic lead-in to these commands.
- Numbers 12:7-8 (allusion): God’s words about Moses’ unique prophetic intimacy (‘with him I speak mouth to mouth’) contrast and illuminate the special relationship among God, Moses, and Aaron—helpful for understanding why God addresses Moses and Aaron together in passages like 7:8.
Alternative generated candidates
- And YHWH said to Moses and to Aaron, saying:
- And YHWH spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
Exo.7.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- ידבר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אלכם: PREP+PRON,2,m,pl
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- תנו: VERB,qal,imp,2,pl
- לכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- מופת: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואמרת: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- אהרן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- קח: VERB,qal,impv,2,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- מטך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- והשלך: CONJ+VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- לפני: PREP
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- יהי: VERB,qal,juss,3,m,sg
- לתנין: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exod.4.3-4 (verbal): Earlier instance where God tells Moses to cast down his rod and it becomes a serpent—same verbal miracle applied now before Pharaoh.
- Exod.7.10-12 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation: Aaron casts down his rod before Pharaoh and it becomes a serpent; Egyptian magicians replicate the sign.
- Exod.7.12 (verbal): Closely related verse describing the magicians’ rods becoming serpents and Aaron’s rod swallowing theirs—highlights contrast between divine sign and imitation.
- Num.21.8-9 (thematic): Moses is instructed to erect a serpent on a pole to heal the people—continues the rod/serpent motif and the notion of a sign enacted by a divinely‑appointed leader.
- John 3:14 (allusion): Jesus alludes to Moses lifting the serpent in the wilderness (Num 21) as a typological prefigurement; links the Old Testament serpent-on-a-pole motif to later theological interpretation.
Alternative generated candidates
- "When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, 'Show a wonder for yourselves,' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it before Pharaoh—let it become a serpent.'"
- When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, 'Perform for yourselves a wonder,' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and cast it before Pharaoh; and it shall become a serpent.'
Exo.7.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויבא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואהרן: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויעשו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- כן: ADV
- כאשר: CONJ
- צוה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- וישלך: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אהרן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- מטהו: NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss3,m,sg
- לפני: PREP
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ולפני: PREP
- עבדיו: NOUN,m,pl,abs+3ms
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- לתנין: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 4:3–5 (verbal): The earlier sign God gave Moses: Aaron's staff becomes a serpent and then returns to a staff—same action commanded as a sign for Pharaoh.
- Exodus 7:11–12 (verbal): Immediate narrative parallel: Pharaoh's magicians replicate the sign by turning their staffs into serpents, directly responding to Aaron's action.
- Numbers 21:6–9 (thematic): Uses serpent imagery and a pole/staff as a locus of divine action and judgment/healing—related symbolism though different function.
- Psalm 105:26–27 (allusion): Recalls Moses and Aaron performing signs and wonders in Egypt; a poetic retelling that alludes to the staff-serpent miracle among the plagues.
- Acts 7:36 (allusion): Stephen's summary of Moses' ministry in which he performed wonders and signs in Egypt—New Testament retelling that points back to events like the staff-serpent episode.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and did so, as YHWH had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
- And Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did so, as YHWH had commanded. And Aaron cast his staff before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
Exo.7.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויקרא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- גם: ADV
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לחכמים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ולמכשפים: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ויעשו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- גם: ADV
- הם: PRON,personal,3,m,pl
- חרטמי: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- בלהטיהם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,pl
- כן: ADV
Parallels
- Exod.7.12 (structural): Immediate continuation: the Egyptian magicians cast down their staffs and they became serpents, and Aaron’s staff swallows theirs — direct narrative parallel and resolution of 7:11.
- Exod.7.22 (verbal): Repeat of 7:11: restates that the magicians, by their enchantments, also produced serpents—verbal parallel emphasizing the magicians’ imitation of Moses/Aaron’s signs.
- Exod.8.7 (verbal): The Egyptian magicians replicate the plague of frogs by their secret arts—another instance where Pharaoh’s magicians imitate or reproduce a sign God sends.
- Acts 8:9–11 (thematic): Simon the magician astonishes the people with magical displays and claims greatness—thematically echoes Egyptian magicians who use sorcery to rival true signs.
- 2 Thess.2:9 (thematic): Paul warns of deceptive 'signs and lying wonders' performed by false powers—thematic parallel to magicians producing counterfeit miracles to rival God’s authentic signs.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and the magicians of Egypt, they also did the same by their secret arts.
- And Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did likewise by their secret arts.
Exo.7.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וישליכו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מטהו: NOUN,m,sg,abs,3,m,sg
- ויהיו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- לתנינם: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ויבלע: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- מטה: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אהרן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- מטתם: NOUN,m,pl,abs,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Exodus 4:3-4 (verbal): Moses’ staff is turned into a serpent and then back into a staff — same miraculous rod-to-serpent motif used to authenticate God’s servant.
- Exodus 7:11 (verbal): Immediate parallel in the same chapter where the Egyptian magicians cast down their rods and they became serpents; verse 12 records Aaron’s rod swallowing their rods, continuing the episode.
- Numbers 17:8 (structural): Aaron’s rod that budded functions as a sign of divine choice and priestly authority; Aaron’s rod prevailing over the magicians’ rods underscores that authoritative role.
- Numbers 21:6-9 (thematic): Divine use of serpents as instruments of judgment and signs (fiery serpents and the bronze serpent) — the serpent motif recurs in Israel’s salvation/judgment traditions.
Alternative generated candidates
- And each one threw down his staff, and they became serpents; and Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs.
- And each man threw down his staff, and they became serpents; and Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs.
Exo.7.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויחזק: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ולא: CONJ
- שמע: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלהם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- כאשר: CONJ
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exod.4:21 (verbal): God tells Moses he will harden Pharaoh’s heart (וְחִזַּקְתִּי אֶת־לֵב־פַרְעֹה), the same motif and phraseology reflected in 7:13.
- Exod.8:15 (verbal): After the plague of frogs the text repeats that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he did not heed Moses (וַיָּשֶׁב לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא־שָׁמַע), mirroring 7:13’s wording and outcome.
- Exod.9:12 (verbal): Here the narrative explicitly states that the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart (וַיַּחַזֵּק יְהוָה אֶת־לֵב־פַּרְעֹה) and he did not listen, underscoring the same theological point found in 7:13.
- Rom.9:17-18 (thematic): Paul interprets the Exodus account theologically: God raised up and hardened Pharaoh to display divine power and mercy, echoing the Exodus theme of divine hardening in 7:13.
- Isa.6:10 (allusion): God’s commission to make the people ‘fat of heart’/stop their ears and eyes (חָרֵשׁ עַל־לֵבָם) uses the motif of hardening/dulling the heart — a broader prophetic background for Exodus’ language.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Pharaoh's heart became hard, and he did not listen to them, as YHWH had spoken.
- And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as YHWH had spoken.
And YHWH said to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
'When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, "Work a wonder for yourselves," then you shall say to Aaron, "Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh; it shall become a serpent."' And Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and did so as YHWH had commanded; and Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did likewise by their secret arts.
Each cast down his staff, and they became serpents; and Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs. And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as YHWH had spoken.