Exodus 7:11-12

"Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers: and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments, For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods."

"Then Pharaoh called for the wise men and the sorcerers ..." Along with groups called "astrologers," and "soothsayers," those servants of Pharaoh mentioned here were the principal support system for the ancient monarchy. Ellison was probably correct in viewing all such retainers as "priests."[15] Thus, the confrontation here is between the religions of Israel and Egypt. Aaron, the high priest (to be) of Israel and the priests of Egypt's nature gods are face-to-face in this encounter.

"They did in like manner ..." The Bible gives us no word on how these men performed such wonders, and, therefore, we shall spare the reader any explanation of our own. Many have followed the older commentators on this, explaining how snake charmers "by pressing the nape of the neck throw them into a state of paralysis, rendering them stiff and immovable, thus seeming to change them into rods."[16] That Pharaoh's servants actually possessed supernatural powers is disputed. The usual explanation of what they did, or appeared to do, is that sleight-of-hand, deception, and illusion were used. Unger classified their deeds here as "lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10).[17] The important thing in this episode is not HOW the Egyptians' rods were changed into serpents but WHAT happened to them. Aaron's rods swallowed all of theirs!

"This was a miracle sufficient to convince Pharaoh had he been open to conviction."[18]

The O.T. nowhere gives the names of those opponents who threw down their rods before Moses and Aaron; but, strangely enough, Paul mentions two of them, "Jannes and Jambres" (2 Timothy 3:8). Cook believed that these men were the "principal magicians" in view here.[19] Some of the rabbinical legends report that, "Jannes and Jambres were so impressed by Moses that they eventually joined the Israelites, but died in the course of the Exodus."[20]