Every man includes only the “wise men” and the “sorcerers.” Each of them evidently had his own rod, or staff. Good News Translation‘s “walking stick” may not be the best term in this verse, even though the Hebrew word is the same. (See the comment at verse 9.) They became serpents means that the rods of all these magicians “turned into snakes.” (The same term is used as in verse 9.) Aaron’s rod, of course, was in the form of a serpent when it swallowed up the other serpents. The delightful picture is that all the rods of the magicians, which they evidently used in their magic, were completely gone. They had been destroyed by a greater power, the power of Yahweh, here represented by Aaron’s rod.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .