'This', said he (Pharaoh) to his Council, 'is a cunning sorcerer 34 He wants to drive you out of your land by his magic, so what do you advise?" 35 They said, "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers 36 That they may bring to thee every magician knowing. 37 So the magicians were assembled at a stated time and place on an appointed day. 38 and the people were told, "Will you also gather together, 39 Belike we may follow the magicians if they are the winners? 40 Then, when the sorcerers came, they said to Pharaoh, 'Shall we indeed have a wage, if we should be the victors?' 41 He said, “Yes, and you will then become close to me.” 42 Musa (Moses) said to them: "Throw what you are going to throw!" 43 So they cast down their cords and their rods and said: By Firon's power, we shall most surely be victorious. 44 Then Moses threw down his staff, and it swallowed up all that they had conjured into being. 45 And down fell the sorcerers, prostrating themselves in adoration, 46 saying: "We (now) believe in the Lord of the Universe, 47 the Lord of Moses and Aaron." 48 Pharaoh said: "You accepted the word of Moses even before I granted you the leave to do so. Surely he is your chief who has taught you magic. Soon shall you come to know. I shall cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides and shall crucify all of you." 49 They answered: "No harm [canst thou do to us]: verily, unto our Sustainer do we turn! 50 Indeed, we aspire that our Lord will forgive us our sins because we were the first of the believers." 51