8. The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
9. “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Perform a miracle!’ then you shall tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.’”
10. Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments.
12. For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.
13. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as the Lord had spoken.
14. The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.
15. Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand.
16. You shall tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness;” and behold, until now you haven’t listened.
17. the Lord says, “In this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold: I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.