1 THE LORD said to Moses, Behold, I make you as God to Pharaoh [to declare My will and purpose to him]; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you, and Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land. 3 And I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn and hard, and multiply My signs, My wonders, and miracles in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt and bring forth My hosts, My people the Israelites, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. 5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt and bring out the Israelites from among them. 6 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded them. 7 Now Moses was 80 years old and Aaron 83 years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
8 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 When Pharaoh says to you, Prove [your authority] by a miracle, then tell Aaron, Throw your rod down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent. 10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded; Aaron threw down his rod before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh called for the wise men [skilled in magic and divination] and the sorcerers (wizards and jugglers). And they also, these magicians of Egypt, did similar things with their enchantments and secret arts. 12 For they cast down every man his rod and they became serpents; but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. 13 But Pharaoh's heart was hardened and stubborn and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.