Bible Dictionaries
Jannes and Jambres

Holman Bible Dictionary

(jan' neess uhnd jam' breess) Two opposers of Moses and Aaron (2 Timothy 3:8 ). Though the names do not appear in the Old Testament, rabbinic tradition identified Jannes and Jambres as being among those Egyptian magicians who sought to duplicate for Pharaoh the miracles performed by Moses (Exodus 7:11 ). The Damascus Document from the Qumran Sect describes the two as brothers raised up by Belial, the evil one. Eusebius of Caesarea described them as sacred scribes of Egypt. The Jewish tradition makes several mentions of them, but in the end they could not match God's power displayed through Moses.