054 Magic Practicing Priest

Museum Description: Statue of Prince Khaemwaset

Room: 4/Case: None/Number: EA 947

Scripture: Exodus 7:11

The magic practicing priests had a turbulent time according to the Bible record.  Joseph was freed from prison to interpret pharaoh's dream because they were not able to.  By the time of Moses they had become slightly more sophisticated as, like Moses, they were able to turn their rods into snakes, although their snakes were later eaten up.  They could use their trickery to appear to replicate the first two plagues, but by plague three they were unable and were forced to recognise the work of the finger of God.  The sixth plague of boils left them so humiliated they did not even turn up for the rest of the plagues.  It is interesting that, although they seemed to be able to replicate some of the plagues, they were not able to stop them.