Again Moses and Aaron entered the lordly halls of the king of Egypt. There, surrounded by lofty columns and glittering adornments, by the rich paintings and sculptured images of heathen gods, before the monarch of the most powerful kingdom then in existence, stood the two representatives of the enslaved race, to repeat the command from God for Israel's release. The king demanded a miracle, in evidence of their divine commission. Moses and Aaron had been directed how to act in case such a demand should be made, and Aaron now took the rod and cast it down before Pharaoh. It became a serpent. The monarch sent for his "wise men and the sorcerers," who "cast down every man his rod and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods." Then the king, more determined than before, declared his magicians equal in power with Moses and Aaron; he denounced the servants of the Lord as impostors, and felt himself secure in resisting their demands. Yet while he despised their message, he was restrained by divine power from doing them harm. 264

Moses og Aron trådte atter ind i ægypterkongens fornemme haller. Omgivet af høje søjler og strålende ornamenter, kostbare malerier og statuer af hedenske guder stod de to repræsentanter for slavefolket over for monarken i datidens mægtigste rige for at gentage Guds befaling om Israels befrielse. Kongen krævede et mirakel som bevis på deres guddommelige bemyndigelse. Moses og Aron havde fået undervisning om, hvad de skulle gøre, hvis et sådant krav blev fremsat. Aron tog nu staven og kastede den foran Farao, og den blev til en slange. Kongen sendte bud efter "vismændene og besværgerne" der "kastede hver sin stav, og stavene blev til slanger, men Arons stav opslugte deres stave". Kongen var nu mere urokkelig end nogensinde og erklærede, at hans troldmænd havde lige så stor magt som Moses og Aron. Han stemplede Herrens tjenere som bedragere og mente ikke, at der var nogen risiko ved at nægte at opfylde deres krav. Men skønt han foragtede deres budskab, hindrede en guddommelig magt ham i at gøre dem fortræd.