“No! Go, both of you, with Our signs. We are with you, listening. * Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘We are messengers of the Lord of all worlds: * send the Children of Israel with us.’ * He said, ‘Did we not raise you among us as a child, and did you not spend years of your life among us? * Yet you committed that deed of yours, and you were among the ungrateful.’ * Moses said, ‘I did it then, when I was among those who were astray. * So I fled from you when I feared you. Then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me one of the messengers. * And is this a favor you remind me of—that you enslaved the Children of Israel?’ * Pharaoh said, ‘And what is the Lord of all worlds?’ * Moses said, ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything between them, if you have certainty.’ * Pharaoh said to those around him, ‘Do you not hear?’ * Moses said, ‘Your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.’ * Pharaoh said, ‘Your messenger who has been sent to you is certainly mad!’ * Moses said, ‘The Lord of the east and the west and everything between them, if you have any understanding.’ * Pharaoh said, ‘If you take any god other than me, I will surely have you imprisoned.’ * Moses said, ‘Even if I bring you clear proof?’ * Pharaoh said, ‘Then bring it, if you are telling the truth.’

• So Moses threw down his staff, and it was plainly a serpent. * He drew out his hand, and it was white for all to see. * Pharaoh said to the chiefs around him, ‘This is indeed a skilled magician. * He wants to drive you out of your land by his magic. What, then, do you advise?’ * They said, ‘Put him and his brother off, and send heralds throughout the cities * to bring you every highly skilled magician.’ * So the magicians were assembled at the appointed time on a specified day. * The people were told, ‘Will you gather? * Perhaps we may follow the magicians if they are victorious.’ * When the magicians came, they said to Pharaoh, ‘Will we have a reward if we are victorious?’ * He said, ‘Yes, and then you will certainly be among those close to me.’ * Moses said to them, ‘Throw whatever you are going to throw.’ * So they threw their ropes and staffs and said, ‘By Pharaoh’s might, we will surely be victorious!’ * Then Moses threw his staff, and it swallowed up their deceptions. * So the magicians fell down in prostration. * They said, ‘We believe in the Lord of all worlds, * the Lord of Moses