The transformation of Prophet Moses’ staff into a serpent is a major miracle reported in the Qur’an, appearing in several verses of Surahs al-A‘rāf, Ṭāhā, al-Naml, al-Shu‘arā’, and al-Qaṣaṣ. While the Qur’an recounts this event concisely, numerous exegetical narrations have been transmitted to explain the terms Thu‘bān, Ḥayyah, and Jānn, and to describe the manner in which this miracle occurred. Some narrations contain extensive and occasionally extraordinary descriptions, raising questions about their reliability in terms of both transmission chains and content. This study examines the chains of transmission and semantic content of narrations concerning the transformation of Moses’ staff into a serpent in Ṭabarī’s exegesis, analyzes their reception in exegetical works from different periods, and compares them with the accounts found in the Old Testament. The research employs a descriptive-analytical method and draws on exegetical, hadith, Rijāl, and lexicographical sources. Narrations recorded under the relevant verses in Ṭabarī’s exegesis are evaluated in terms of their chains of transmission and content. Their influence on the development of Qur’anic exegesis across different centuries is then examined, together with their relationship to the accounts in the Book of Exodus. The findings reveal significant differences among the Qur’anic account, the exegetical narrations, and their reception in the works of Qur’anic commentators. A historical examination of exegetical literature indicates that commentators’ approaches to these verses evolved from predominantly lexical explanations in the early centuries to more detailed accounts in certain later commentaries. Comparing the narrations with the text of the Old Testament provides a useful basis for assessing the origins and reliability of some exegetical reports. Through a critical re-examination of these narrations and exegetical works, this study aims to present a clearer picture of the formation and evolution of accounts concerning this Qur’anic miracle.