6 Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 The details of the verse are designed to show that there was a staff that became a snake. The question is used to affirm that there truly was a staff, and then the report of Moses running from it shows it was a genuine snake. Using the serpent as a sign would have had an impact on the religious ideas of Egypt, for the sacred cobra was one of their symbols.

In other versions

And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it.

The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.

“Throw it on the ground,” he said. So Moses threw it on the ground, it became a snake, and he ran from it.

“Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.

And he said, “Throw it onto the ground.” And he threw it onto the ground, and it became a snake, and Moses fled from it.

And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

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