“Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, ‘When Pharaoh says to you, Perform a wonder or miracle, then you shall say to Aaron, take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake.’  So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as Yahweh had commanded.  Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials and it became a snake.  Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers.  They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts.  Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes.  But Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs.  Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as Yahweh had said.”

Moses, the 80 year old reluctant leader, went to Pharaoh with his 83 year old brother, Aaron.  Aaron, who has the primary role in this priestly tradition, performed the first wonder, miracle, or trick by changing his staff into a snake when he threw it on the ground.  Pharaoh then got his own magicians. They all could make snakes out of sticks.  Apparently, serpent magic was common in Egypt. However, Aaron’s snake swallowed up the snakes of the Egyptian magicians.  Nevertheless, Pharaoh was not convinced to let the Israelites go.