But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerersPharaoh's reliance on wise men and sorcerers reflects the Egyptian belief in magic and the supernatural. These individuals were considered experts in interpreting dreams, performing rituals, and wielding magical powers. The presence of such figures in Pharaoh's court underscores the cultural and religious context of ancient Egypt, where magic was intertwined with daily life and governance. This reliance on human wisdom and sorcery contrasts with the divine power of God, setting the stage for the confrontation between God's authority and human attempts to replicate it.
and magicians of Egypt
The magicians of Egypt were part of a class of priests who were skilled in the occult and practiced various forms of magic. Their role was significant in maintaining the religious and cultural traditions of Egypt. Historically, Egyptian magicians were known for their ability to perform illusions and manipulate perceptions, which they used to maintain their influence and authority. This phrase highlights the spiritual battle between the God of Israel and the gods of Egypt, as represented by these magicians.
and they also did the same things by their magic arts
The magicians' ability to replicate the miracles performed by Moses and Aaron suggests that they possessed some level of supernatural power, though it was limited and ultimately inferior to God's power. This phrase illustrates the theme of counterfeit miracles, where human or demonic forces attempt to mimic divine acts. It serves as a reminder of the spiritual deception that can occur when people rely on magic and sorcery instead of seeking the true power of God. This event foreshadows the eventual triumph of God's power over the false gods of Egypt, as seen in the subsequent plagues and the Exodus narrative.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
PharaohThe ruler of Egypt who is resistant to God's command to let the Israelites go. His heart is hardened, and he seeks to oppose Moses and Aaron.
2.
Wise Men and SorcerersThese are the Egyptian magicians and practitioners of the occult arts who are called upon by Pharaoh to replicate the miracles performed by Moses and Aaron.
3.
Magicians of EgyptSkilled in the magical arts, these individuals represent the spiritual opposition to God's power, attempting to mimic the divine signs given through Moses and Aaron.
4.
Moses and AaronGod's chosen leaders to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. They are instruments of God's power and authority.
5.
EgyptThe land where the Israelites are enslaved, representing a place of oppression and spiritual darkness in contrast to the promised land of freedom and divine blessing.
Teaching Points
The Futility of Opposing GodThe magicians' attempts to replicate God's miracles highlight the ultimate futility of opposing God's will. No human power can stand against the divine.
Discernment of True PowerBelievers are called to discern between the true power of God and counterfeit spiritual forces. This requires a deep understanding of Scripture and reliance on the Holy Spirit.
The Hardening of the HeartPharaoh's reliance on his magicians reflects a hardened heart that refuses to acknowledge God's authority. We must guard against hardening our hearts to God's voice.
Spiritual WarfareThe confrontation between Moses and the magicians is a reminder of the spiritual warfare believers face. We must be equipped with the armor of God to stand firm against spiritual deception.
God's SovereigntyDespite the magicians' efforts, God's plan for the Israelites' deliverance is unstoppable. This reassures us of God's sovereignty in our lives and His ultimate control over all circumstances.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Exodus 7:11?
2.How does Exodus 7:11 demonstrate Pharaoh's resistance to God's commands?
3.What role do Pharaoh's magicians play in opposing Moses in Exodus 7:11?
4.How can we discern true miracles from deception, as seen in Exodus 7:11?
5.What other biblical instances show God's power over human opposition?
6.How should Christians respond when faced with opposition to God's truth today?
7.How did Pharaoh's magicians replicate Aaron's miracle in Exodus 7:11?
8.Does Exodus 7:11 suggest magic can rival divine power?
9.What historical evidence supports the events described in Exodus 7:11?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 7?
11.Are demonic and satanic miracles real?
12.Who were Jannes and Jambres in the Bible?
13.How do magicians replicate biblical miracles using illusions?
14.Why do people from other religions report spiritual experiences similar to Christian ones?What Does Exodus 7:11 Mean
But Pharaoh• Pharaoh’s reaction is immediate resistance. He will not bow to the God who confronts him (Exodus 5:2).
• His heart is already hardened (Exodus 7:13), revealing the ongoing clash between the LORD and the self-deified ruler of Egypt (Romans 9:17).
• Every subsequent move he makes—including summoning occult specialists—is aimed at preserving his power over Israel.
called the wise men and sorcerers• These “wise men” mirror the court advisers who failed to interpret dreams for an earlier Pharaoh (Genesis 41:8).
• Sorcerers appear throughout Scripture as enemies of God’s revelation—think of the Chaldeans inDaniel 2:2 or Balaam inNumbers 22–24.
• By calling them, Pharaoh attempts to match miracle with miracle, trusting human (and demonic) resources rather than submitting to divine authority.
and magicians of Egypt• Egyptian magicians were known for ritual texts and practices intended to control spiritual forces—an ancient blend of science and superstition (seeExodus 8:18–19 when their limits become clear).
• Their presence highlights the battle line: Yahweh versus the gods of Egypt (Exodus 12:12;Numbers 33:4).
• The New Testament later names two of these magicians—Jannes and Jambres—as examples of men who “resist the truth” (2 Timothy 3:8).
and they also did the same things• The staff-to-serpent sign (Exodus 7:10) is counterfeited, showing that supernatural manifestations are not automatically divine (Matthew 24:24).
• God allows a temporary imitation to expose both Pharaoh’s stubbornness and the impotence of evil when faced with true power (Exodus 7:12; 8:18).
• Scripture warns that last-days deception will feature “counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9–10).
by their magic arts• The term points to occult power, condemned elsewhere in God’s Law (Leviticus 19:26, 31).
• Similar sorcery opposes the gospel inActs 8:9–11 (Simon) andActs 13:6–12 (Elymas), yet each time God’s authority prevails.
•Revelation 13:13–14 portrays a future global replay of such tricks, underscoring the timeless battle between truth and deception.
• While the magicians mimic the sign, they cannot reverse judgment, protect Egypt, or stop the plagues—only God can.
summaryExodus 7:11 shows Pharaoh marshaling every earthly and occult resource to challenge the LORD. His magicians can copy the surface miracle, but imitation is not liberation. The episode underscores God’s unrivaled supremacy, the reality of demonic counterfeits, and the futility of resisting divine authority.
(11)
The magicians of Egypt.--These persons are called indifferently
khakamim, "wise men,"
me-kashshephim, "mutterers of charms," and
khartum-mim, "scribes," perhaps "writers of charms." Magic was very widely practised in Egypt, and consisted mainly in the composition and employment of charms, which were believed to exert a powerful effect, both over man and over the brute creation. A large part of the "Ritual of the Dead" consists of charms, which
were to be uttered by the soul in Hades, in order to enable it to pass the various monsters which it would encounter there. Charms were also regarded as potent in this life to produce or remove disease, and avert the attacks of noxious animals. Some Egyptian works are mere collections of magical receipts, and supply strange prescriptions which are to be used, and mystic words which are to be uttered. A Jewish tradition, accepted by the Apostle Paul (
2Timothy 3:6), spoke of two magicians as the special opponents of Moses, and called them "Jannes and Jambres." (See the Tar-gums of Jerusalem and of Jonathan, and comp. Numen,
ap.Euseb.
Pr?p. e. ix. 8.) The former of these, Jannes, obtained fame as a magician among the classical writers, and is mentioned by Pliny (
H. N. xxx. 1) and Apuleius (
Apolog. p. 108). It has been supposed by some that the magicians were really in possession of supernatural powers, obtained by a connection with evil spirits; but, on the whole, it is perhaps most probable that they were merely persons acquainted with many secrets of nature not generally known, and trained in tricks of sleight-of-hand and conjuring.
They also did in like manner.--The magicians had entered into the royal presence with, apparently, rods in their hands, such as almost all Egyptians carried. These they cast down upon the ground, when they were seen to be serpents. This was, perhaps, the mere exhibition of a trick, well known to Egyptian serpent-charmers in all ages (Description de l'Egypte, vol. i. p. 159), by which a charmed serpent is made to look like a stick for a time, and then disenchanted. Or it may have been effected by sleight-of-hand, which seems to be the true meaning of the wordl?hatim, translated "enchantments." (Rosenmller,Scholia in Exodum, p. 110.)
Verse 11. -
Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers. That magic was an object of much attention and study in Egypt is abundantly evident from "The tale of Setnau" ('Records of the Past,' vol. 4. pp. 133-148), "The Magic Papyrus" (ibid. vol. 10. pp. 137-158), and many other writings. It consisted, to a large extent, in charms, which were thought to have power over men and beasts, especially over reptiles. What amount of skill and power the Egyptian magicians possessed may perhaps be doubted. Many commentators believe them to have been in actual communication With the unseen world, and to have worked their wonders by the assistance of evil spirits. Others, who reject this explanation, believe that they themselves were in possession of certain supernatural gifts. But the commonest view at the present day regards them as simply persons who had a knowledge of many secrets of nature which were generally unknown, and who used this knowledge to impress men with a belief in their supernatural power. The words used to express "magicians" and "enchantments" support this view. The magicians are called
khakamim, "wise men," "men educated in human and divine wisdom" (Keil and Delitzsch);
mekashshephim, "charmers," "mutterers of magic words" (Gesenius); and
khartummim, which is thought to mean either "sacred scribes" or "bearers of sacred words" (Cook). The word translated "enchantments" is
lehatim, which means "secret" or "hidden arts" (Gesenius). On the whole, we regard it as most probable that the Egyptian "magicians" of this time were jugglers of a high class, well skilled in serpent-charming and other kindred arts, but not possessed of any supernatural powers.
The magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments. The magicians, aware of the wonder which would probably be wrought, had prepared themselves; they had brought serpents, charmed and stiffened so as to look like rods (a common trick in Egypt: 'Description de l'Egypte,' vol. 1. p. 159) in their hands; and when Aaron's rod became a serpent, they threw their stiffened snakes upon the ground, and disenchanted them, so that they were seen to be what they were - shakos, and not really rods.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
But Pharaohפַּרְעֹ֔ה(par·‘ōh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547:Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kingscalledוַיִּקְרָא֙(way·yiq·rā)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121:To call, proclaim, readthe wise menלַֽחֲכָמִ֖ים(la·ḥă·ḵā·mîm)Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2450:Wiseand sorcerersוְלַֽמְכַשְּׁפִ֑ים(wə·lam·ḵaš·šə·p̄îm)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3784:To whisper a, spell, to inchant, practise magicand magiciansחַרְטֻמֵּ֥י(ḥar·ṭum·mê)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2748:An engraver, writerof Egypt,מִצְרַ֛יִם(miṣ·ra·yim)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714:Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africaand theyהֵ֜ם(hêm)Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992:Theyalsoגַּם־(gam-)Conjunction
Strong's 1571:Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, anddidוַיַּֽעֲשׂ֨וּ(way·ya·‘ă·śū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6213:To do, makethe same thingsכֵּֽן׃(kên)Adverb
Strong's 3651:So -- thusby their magic arts.בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶ֖ם(bə·la·hă·ṭê·hem)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3858:A blaze, magic
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OT Law: Exodus 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise (Exo. Ex) 
