וַיָּבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֣עַשׂוּ כֵ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּשְׁלֵ֨ךְ אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־מַטֵּ֗הוּ לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י עֲבָדָ֖יו וַיְהִ֥י לְתַנִּֽין׃
Musa dan Harun datang menghadap Firaun, dan mereka melakukan tepat seperti yang diperintahkan Yang Mahakekal. Harun melemparkan tongkatnya ke hadapan Firaun dan para pegawainya, lalu tongkat itu menjadi ular besar.
Shemot Rabbah
“He said to his people: Behold, the nation of the children of Israel is more numerous and mighty than us” (Exodus 1:9).
“He said to his people” – he began with the counsel first; therefore, he was punished first. He began with the counsel first, as it is written: “He said to his people.” He was punished first, as it is written: “Upon you, upon your people, and upon all your servants, [the frogs will rise]” (Exodus 7:29).
“Let us be shrewd with it, lest it increase, and it shall be that if a war will occur, it too will join our enemies and wage war against us and it will ascend from the land” (Exodus 1:10).
“Let us be shrewd with it.” “With them” is not stated, but rather, “with it.” Rabbi Ḥama son of Rabbi Ḥanina said: He said: ‘Come let us be shrewd with the God of these. Shall we sentence them with the sword? It is already written: “And with His sword all flesh” (Isaiah 66:16). We will sentence them only with water, as the Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He will not bring a flood to the world, as it is stated: “As I took an oath that the waters of Noah would no longer pass over the earth” (Isaiah 54:9).’ But they did not know that He will not bring it over the entire world, but He will bring it on one nation. And He will not bring it [even] upon them, but they will come and fall into it, as it is stated: “They will be hurled [yagiruhu] to the sword [ḥarev]; they will be prey for the foxes [shualim]” (Psalms 63:11).19The midrash interprets this: He will entice [yegareh] them with dry land [ḥorev], into the waters of the sea [sha’al yam].
“As it was in the matter that they conspired [against them]” (Exodus 18:11) – in the pot in which they cooked, they were cooked.20They sought to drown the Jewish boys in the river; they were drowned in the Red Sea.
Rabbi Ḥiyya said that Rabbi Simon said: There were three [involved] in that counsel: Bilam, Job, and Yitro. Bilam, who advised [Pharaoh to persecute Israel], was killed. Job, who was silent, was punished with suffering. Yitro, who fled, his descendants were privileged to sit in the Chamber of Hewn Stone, as it is stated: “The families of scribes who dwelled at Yabetz: The Tiratites, the Shime’atites, the Sukatites. These are the Kenites that came from Hamat, the father of the house of Rekhav” (I Chronicles 2:55). And it is written: “The children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of the date palms with the children of Judah” (Judges 1:16).
“…and it will ascend from the land” (Exodus 1:10). It does not say: And we will ascend, but rather: “It will ascend.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana says: It is like a person who curses himself but ascribes his curse to another.21Although Pharaoh’s stated concern was that the Israelites would leave Egypt, his real concern was that they would overcome the Egyptians and banish them from Egypt.
Alternatively, “and it will ascend from the land,” any time that Israel reaches the ultimate depths, they ascend; see what is written: “And it will ascend from the land.” David said: “Our soul is bent to the dust; our belly cleaves to the earth.” (Psalms 44:26). At that moment: “Rise up, be our savior; redeem us for the sake of Your kindness” (Psalms 44:27).
“He said to his people” – he began with the counsel first; therefore, he was punished first. He began with the counsel first, as it is written: “He said to his people.” He was punished first, as it is written: “Upon you, upon your people, and upon all your servants, [the frogs will rise]” (Exodus 7:29).
“Let us be shrewd with it, lest it increase, and it shall be that if a war will occur, it too will join our enemies and wage war against us and it will ascend from the land” (Exodus 1:10).
“Let us be shrewd with it.” “With them” is not stated, but rather, “with it.” Rabbi Ḥama son of Rabbi Ḥanina said: He said: ‘Come let us be shrewd with the God of these. Shall we sentence them with the sword? It is already written: “And with His sword all flesh” (Isaiah 66:16). We will sentence them only with water, as the Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He will not bring a flood to the world, as it is stated: “As I took an oath that the waters of Noah would no longer pass over the earth” (Isaiah 54:9).’ But they did not know that He will not bring it over the entire world, but He will bring it on one nation. And He will not bring it [even] upon them, but they will come and fall into it, as it is stated: “They will be hurled [yagiruhu] to the sword [ḥarev]; they will be prey for the foxes [shualim]” (Psalms 63:11).19The midrash interprets this: He will entice [yegareh] them with dry land [ḥorev], into the waters of the sea [sha’al yam].
“As it was in the matter that they conspired [against them]” (Exodus 18:11) – in the pot in which they cooked, they were cooked.20They sought to drown the Jewish boys in the river; they were drowned in the Red Sea.
Rabbi Ḥiyya said that Rabbi Simon said: There were three [involved] in that counsel: Bilam, Job, and Yitro. Bilam, who advised [Pharaoh to persecute Israel], was killed. Job, who was silent, was punished with suffering. Yitro, who fled, his descendants were privileged to sit in the Chamber of Hewn Stone, as it is stated: “The families of scribes who dwelled at Yabetz: The Tiratites, the Shime’atites, the Sukatites. These are the Kenites that came from Hamat, the father of the house of Rekhav” (I Chronicles 2:55). And it is written: “The children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of the date palms with the children of Judah” (Judges 1:16).
“…and it will ascend from the land” (Exodus 1:10). It does not say: And we will ascend, but rather: “It will ascend.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana says: It is like a person who curses himself but ascribes his curse to another.21Although Pharaoh’s stated concern was that the Israelites would leave Egypt, his real concern was that they would overcome the Egyptians and banish them from Egypt.
Alternatively, “and it will ascend from the land,” any time that Israel reaches the ultimate depths, they ascend; see what is written: “And it will ascend from the land.” David said: “Our soul is bent to the dust; our belly cleaves to the earth.” (Psalms 44:26). At that moment: “Rise up, be our savior; redeem us for the sake of Your kindness” (Psalms 44:27).
Midrash Tanchuma
And Aaron forthwith cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent (Exod. 7:10). Whereupon Pharaoh said: “Is this the full power of your God? Why, my magicians travel throughout the world performing such feats.” Then Pharaoh called also (ibid., v. 11) the youths, and babes of five, yea, even of four years, and each of them cast his rod. It is written: Pharaoh called also because he disdained at first to summon his magicians and sorcerers. Our sages of blessed memory said: He actually performed a great miracle with that rod. When one serpent is able to swallow other serpents, that is not unusual, but this serpent turned itself back into a rod again, as it is written: But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods (ibid., v. 12). If a man made bundles out of the rods that were cast to the ground to become serpents, there would have been more than ten bundles, yet Aaron’s rod swallowed them all and it became no larger than it was previously. When Pharaoh beheld that, he was amazed and exclaimed: “Surely if he should command the rod to swallow Pharaoh and his throne, it could swallow them.” That was the sign that He had given to Moses at the bush when He said: This which is in thy hand, cast it to the earth (ibid. 4:2). The word this alludes to Pharaoh, who is compared to a snake, as is said: The Lord with His sore and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the slant serpent (Isa. 27:1). When Moses withdrew from Pharaoh’s presence, the wicked one said: “If this son of Amram comes near me again, I will slay him, I will hang him, I will burn him.” That is why, when Moses returned, Pharaoh became like a rod. And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he harkened not unto them, as the Lord had spoken (Exod. 7:13). With reference to the first five plagues, the words Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, etc., are written, but after the fifth plague occurred and he still would not permit them to leave, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Henceforth, even if he desires to send them away, I will not allow it. Hence, with reference to the last five plagues it is written: But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart (ibid. 10:20). Moses decreed what was to transpire, and the Holy One, blessed be He, executed it, as it is said:: Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee (Job 22:28).
Shemot Rabbah
“Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and they did so, as the Lord commanded; Aaron cast his staff before Pharaoh and before his servants and it became a serpent” (Exodus 7:10).
“Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh” – should not Aaron have entered first, as he was greater in years than him? Why Moses? It is because he was greater than him in Egypt, as it is stated: “The man, Moses, too, was very great [in the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 11:3). Alternatively, because the Holy One blessed be He rendered Moses as god over Aaron, as it is stated: “And you will be to him as god” (Exodus 4:16), and it is appropriate for the master to enter first.
“And they did so, as the Lord commanded” – in that they did not do so until Pharaoh requested a wonder, just as the Holy One blessed be He said. At that moment, “Aaron cast his staff.”
“Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh” – should not Aaron have entered first, as he was greater in years than him? Why Moses? It is because he was greater than him in Egypt, as it is stated: “The man, Moses, too, was very great [in the land of Egypt]” (Exodus 11:3). Alternatively, because the Holy One blessed be He rendered Moses as god over Aaron, as it is stated: “And you will be to him as god” (Exodus 4:16), and it is appropriate for the master to enter first.
“And they did so, as the Lord commanded” – in that they did not do so until Pharaoh requested a wonder, just as the Holy One blessed be He said. At that moment, “Aaron cast his staff.”