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At this the chiefs of Pharaohs people said to one another, "Indeed this man is an expert magician.

He intends to drive you out of your land; now what do you propose to do?"

Then they all advised Pharaoh: "Put him and his brother off for a while, and send heralds to all the cities

so that they should bring to you every expert magician".

Accordingly, the magicians came to Pharaoh and said, "Shall we surely get great magic. Our reward, if we win ?"

Pharaoh answered, "Yes, indeed, and you shall get a position close to me"

Then they said to Moses, "Will you throw down first, or should we throw down?"

Moses answered, "You should throw down first". When they threw down their devices, they bewitched the eyes of the people and terrified their hearts: for they had, indeed, produced a great magic.

Then We inspired Moses to throw down his staff. No sooner did he throw it down than it began to swallow their false magic.

Thus the Truth was established, and the falsehood which they had wrought proved vain.

Pharaoh and his people were vanquished in the combat and (instead of being triumphant) they became humiliated.

As regards the magicians, they were compelled to fall prostrate by something from within.

They said, "We have acknowledged the Lord of the worlds,

the Lord whom Moses and Aaron acknowledge."

Pharaoh said, "Do you dare believe in Him before I permit you? Indeed, it was a plot you conspired in the capital to deprive the rightful owners of their power. Well, you shall soon know its consequences.

I will have your hands and feet cut off on opposite sides and then will I have you all crucified."

They answered, "At any rate, we have to return to our Lord;

(as for you,) you want to take vengeance upon us only because we believed in the Signs of our Lord, when they came before us. O our Lord, bestow fortitude upon us, causing us to die as those who have surrendered to Thee".