Exodus 9:11 kjv
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
Exodus 9:11 nkjv
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.
Exodus 9:11 niv
The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians.
Exodus 9:11 esv
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians.
Exodus 9:11 nlt
Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and all the Egyptians.
Exodus 9 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 7:12 | For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. | Magicians' early failure to overpower. |
| Exod 8:18-19 | Now the magicians thus attempted with their secret arts... And the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." | Magicians failed at the third plague, admitting divine intervention. |
| Deut 28:27 | The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors... | Boils as a severe curse for disobedience, connecting to later divine judgment. |
| Job 2:7 | So Satan went out... and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. | Demonstrates severe affliction of boils as a debilitating punishment. |
| 2 Ki 20:7 | Isaiah said, "Take a cake of figs." And they took and placed it on the boil, and he recovered. | Boils as a serious, debilitating ailment requiring divine healing. |
| Isa 19:3-4 | The spirit of Egypt will be disheartened... and they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead and spirits and mediums... I will hand over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master... | Egypt's dependence on idols and false counsel leading to defeat and judgment. |
| Isa 19:12 | Now where are your wise men? Let them tell you, please, and let them make known to you what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt. | Humiliation of Egyptian wise men/magicians before God's plan. |
| 1 Cor 1:20 | Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? | God's making foolish human wisdom, including magical arts. |
| 2 Tim 3:8 | Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth... | Later tradition identifies two chief magicians, affirming their opposition. |
| 2 Tim 3:9 | But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as the folly of those men also was. | The magicians' folly and inability to truly succeed were ultimately exposed. |
| Exod 9:12 | And the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses. | Direct link: God's hardening follows the impotence of the magicians, intensifying Pharaoh's obstinacy. |
| Exod 9:16 | But indeed for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power... | God's purpose in Pharaoh's hardening is to display His unmatched power. |
| Exod 9:27 | Then Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "I have sinned this time; the LORD is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones." | Pharaoh later admits God's righteousness, acknowledging divine judgment. |
| Exod 9:14 | For this time I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. | Emphasizes the uniqueness and incomparable nature of God. |
| Nah 1:6 | Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger? | No one can stand against God's wrath, exemplified by the magicians. |
| Ps 76:7 | You, You alone, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your presence when You are angry? | Similar theme of human inability to stand against God's wrath. |
| Rev 6:17 | For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand? | Echoes the question of who can stand against ultimate divine judgment. |
| Rev 16:2 | So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and a harmful and painful sore afflicted the people... | The final plague on rebellious humanity mirrors the judgment of boils. |
| Prov 21:30 | There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the LORD. | All human wisdom, including magical arts, is powerless against God's will. |
| Dan 2:27-28 | Daniel answered before the king and said, "As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries..." | The ultimate superiority of God's revelation over all human wisdom and magic. |
| Mic 5:12 | I will cut off sorceries from your hand, And you will have fortune-tellers no longer. | God's promise to eliminate sorcery and divination. |
Exodus 9 verses
Exodus 9 11 Meaning
Exodus 9:11 describes the severe impact of the sixth plague—boils—upon the Egyptian magicians. These sorcerers, who had previously attempted to replicate Moses and Aaron's signs, were physically afflicted by the painful sores to such an extent that they could not even stand in the presence of Moses. This incapacitation underscored their utter failure and impotence against the divine power wielded through Moses, demonstrating Yahweh's unparalleled sovereignty over all Egyptian gods and magic.
Exodus 9 11 Context
Exodus 9:11 is part of the account of the plagues inflicted upon Egypt, specifically the sixth plague: boils. This plague directly followed the plague of gnats, where the Egyptian magicians first acknowledged their limitations, stating, "This is the finger of God" (Exod 8:19), as they could not replicate the miracle. The plague of boils, unlike previous plagues, seemingly had no prior warning given to Pharaoh. Instead, Moses and Aaron were commanded to simply scatter soot in the air, resulting in the immediate affliction of boils on both humans and animals across Egypt. This direct, painful, and deeply personal judgment highlighted God's power over health and life, a realm the Egyptian gods (like Sekhmet, goddess of healing/disease, or Thoth, god of magic) supposedly governed. The inability of the magicians to stand demonstrated a direct, physical, and public humiliation, further discrediting Pharaoh's advisors and Egyptian idolatry before Pharaoh and his people.
Exodus 9 11 Word analysis
- the magicians (הַחַרְטֻמִּים - haḥarṭummim): These were high-ranking, learned men in Pharaoh's court, counselors, and practitioners of magic and divination. Their previous failures with the gnats (Exod 8:18-19) already established a turning point. Their persistent inability to counter or replicate Moses's signs systematically diminished their authority and demonstrated the impotence of the pagan gods they represented.
- could not stand (לֹא־יָכְל֥וּ לַעֲמֹ֖ד - lō’-yāḵlū la‘ămōḏ): This phrase indicates both a physical impossibility due to the severe, painful boils and a deeper symbolic inability to "stand their ground" or contend spiritually and intellectually before Moses. It implies a total defeat—not just a failure to perform a trick, but a fundamental collapse of their power, status, and claim to spiritual authority.
- before Moses (לִפְנֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ - lip̄nê mōšeṯ): This emphasizes the direct confrontation. They were rendered helpless in the presence of God's appointed representative. It's not just that they couldn't act, but they couldn't even maintain their composure or their position as opposing forces. Their public humiliation served as a visible testament to God's supreme power.
- because of the boils (מִפְּנֵי֙ הַשְּׁחִין֙ - mip·pə·nê haš·šə·ḥîn): This clarifies the immediate cause of their incapacitation. Šəḥîn refers to a severe, festering skin eruption, often painful and debilitating. This visible, undeniable physical ailment directly links God's judgment to a concrete, painful consequence, proving it wasn't a mere magic trick, but a true act of God's punitive power.
- on the magicians and on all the Egyptians: This highlights the universal reach of the plague within Egypt, afflicting the highest and lowest, underscoring that no one in Egypt was immune. This indiscriminate affliction served to deepen the suffering and reinforce the idea that Yahweh's judgment was against the entire land and its inhabitants who supported Pharaoh.
Exodus 9 11 Bonus section
The sixth plague, boils, is notable because, unlike most preceding plagues, no specific warning was given to Pharaoh. Moses simply performed the action (scattering soot), and the plague immediately ensued, highlighting the direct and swift nature of divine judgment. This may have been a pointed judgment against the Egyptian medical gods or even Imhotep, the deified physician. Additionally, the soot thrown into the air may have been symbolic of the burning of cultic impurities, representing an "anti-incense" offering bringing defilement and judgment rather than purity and favor. This plague afflicted only the Egyptians, showing a distinct separation between God's chosen people and His targets of judgment, further demonstrating His complete control.
Exodus 9 11 Commentary
Exodus 9:11 marks a profound turning point in the plague narrative. The public humiliation of the Egyptian magicians is a powerful display of Yahweh's sovereignty over all human wisdom, magical arts, and the deities of Egypt. Having admitted defeat in the previous plague (Exod 8:19), their physical inability to even stand before Moses due to the painful boils is a decisive, crushing blow to their credibility and Pharaoh's spiritual support system. This plague directly targeted the body, showing God's power over human life and health, areas often associated with specific Egyptian deities. The fact that the very agents who supposedly manipulated spiritual forces were themselves victims, unable to offer aid or protection even to themselves, utterly dismantled the illusion of Egyptian magic. This escalating demonstration of God's unassailable power serves to progressively harden Pharaoh's heart while leaving no doubt as to Yahweh's unique identity as the only true God, who could bring such direct and debilitating judgment upon an entire nation. The verse powerfully contrasts human impotence with divine omnipotence.