1. The Lord said to Moses, “See how important I have made you? In speaking to Pharaoh, you will be like God, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
2. You will tell Aaron everything that I command you. Then he will tell the king what I say. And Pharaoh will let the Israelites leave this country.
3. But I will make Pharaoh stubborn so that he will not do what you tell him. Then I will do many miracles in Egypt to prove who I am.
4. But he will still refuse to listen. So then I will punish Egypt very much. And I will lead my army, my people, out of that land.
5. I will punish the people of Egypt, and they will learn that I am the Lord. Then I will lead my people out of their country.”
6. Moses and Aaron did what the Lord told them.
7. Moses was 80 years old at the time, and Aaron was 83.
8. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
9. “Pharaoh will ask you to prove your power. He will ask you to do a miracle. Tell Aaron to throw his walking stick on the ground. While Pharaoh is watching, the stick will become a snake.”
10. So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and obeyed the Lord. Aaron threw his walking stick down. While Pharaoh and his officers watched, the stick became a snake.
11. So Pharaoh called for his wise men and magicians. These men used their magic, and they were able to do the same thing as Aaron.
12. They threw their walking sticks on the ground, and their sticks became snakes. But then Aaron’s walking stick ate theirs.
13. Pharaoh still refused to let the people go, just as the Lord had said. Pharaoh refused to listen to Moses and Aaron.
14. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh is being stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.