9:11 magicians. The defeat of the magicians was clear from the start, when Aaron’s staff-become-serpent swallowed up the serpents they produced (7:12). They were able to imitate turning water to blood and producing frogs, but they could only add to, and not reverse, these plagues (7:22; 8:7). When they could not imitate the production of lice, they told Pharaoh the plagues were divine judgments, not magic (8:18, 19). Finally, the magicians are struck with boils and retreat in discomfort and disgrace (9:11).