Keluaran 7:13-14

7:13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard, ¹  and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.

The First Blow: Water to Blood

7:14 ² The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; ³  he refuses to release ⁴  the people.

Keluaran 7:22

7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same ⁵  by their secret arts, and so ⁶  Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, ⁷  and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron ⁸  – just as the Lord had predicted.

Keluaran 8:19

8:19 The magicians said ⁹  to Pharaoh, “It is the finger ¹⁰  of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, ¹¹  and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.

Keluaran 9:7

9:7 Pharaoh sent representatives to investigate, ¹²  and indeed, not even one of the livestock of Israel had died. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, ¹³  and he did not release the people.

Keluaran 9:35

9:35 So Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, ¹⁴  and he did not release the Israelites, as the Lord had predicted through Moses.

[7:13]  ¹ tn This phrase translates the Hebrew word חָזַק (khazaq); see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53.

[7:13]  sn For more on this subject, see B. Jacob, Exodus, 241-49. S. R. Driver (Exodus, 53) notes that when this word (חָזַק) is used it indicates a will or attitude that is unyielding and firm, but when כָּבֵד (kaved) is used, it stresses the will as being slow to move, unimpressionable, slow to be affected.

[7:14]  ² sn With the first plague, or blow on Pharaoh, a new section of the book unfolds. Until now the dominant focus has been on preparing the deliverer for the exodus. From here the account will focus on preparing Pharaoh for it. The theological emphasis for exposition of the entire series of plagues may be: The sovereign Lord is fully able to deliver his people from the oppression of the world so that they may worship and serve him alone. The distinct idea of each plague then will contribute to this main idea. It is clear from the outset that God could have delivered his people simply and suddenly. But he chose to draw out the process with the series of plagues. There appear to be several reasons: First, the plagues are designed to judge Egypt. It is justice for slavery. Second, the plagues are designed to inform Israel and Egypt of the ability of Yahweh. Everyone must know that it is Yahweh doing all these things. The Egyptians must know this before they are destroyed. Third, the plagues are designed to deliver Israel. The first plague is the plague of blood: God has absolute power over the sources of life. Here Yahweh strikes the heart of Egyptian life with death and corruption. The lesson is that God can turn the source of life into the prospect of death. Moreover, the Nile was venerated; so by turning it into death Moses was showing the superiority of Yahweh.

[7:14]  ³ tn Or “unresponsive” (so HALOT 456 s.v. I כָּבֵד).

[7:14]  ⁴ tn The Piel infinitive construct לְשַׁלַּח (lÿshallakh) serves as the direct object of מֵאֵן (me’en), telling what Pharaoh refuses (characteristic perfect) to do. The whole clause is an explanation (like a metonymy of effect) of the first clause that states that Pharaoh’s heart is hard.

[7:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “thus, so.”

[7:22]  ⁶ tn The vav consecutive on the preterite introduces the outcome or result of the matter – Pharaoh was hardened.

[7:22]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the heart of Pharaoh became hard.” This phrase translates the Hebrew word חָזַק (khazaq; see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53). In context this represents the continuation of a prior condition.

[7:22]  ⁸ tn Heb “to them”; the referents (Moses and Aaron) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “and the magicians said.”

[8:19]  ¹⁰ tn The word “finger” is a bold anthropomorphism (a figure of speech in which God is described using human characteristics).

[8:19]  sn The point of the magicians’ words is clear enough. They knew they were beaten and by whom. The reason for their choice of the word “finger” has occasioned many theories, none of which is entirely satisfying. At the least their statement highlights that the plague was accomplished by God with majestic ease and effortlessness. Perhaps the reason that they could not do this was that it involved producing life – from the dust of the ground, as in Genesis 2:7. The creative power of God confounded the magic of the Egyptians and brought on them a loathsome plague.

[8:19]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and the heart of Pharaoh became hard.” This phrase translates the Hebrew word חָזַק (khazaq; see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53). In context this represents the continuation of a prior condition.

[9:7]  ¹² tn Heb “Pharaoh sent.” The phrase “representatives to investigate” is implied in the context.

[9:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “and the heart of Pharaoh was hardened.” This phrase translates the Hebrew word כָּבֵד (kaved; see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53). In context this represents the continuation of a prior condition.

[9:35]  ¹⁴ tn The verb about Pharaoh’s heart in v. 35 is וַיֶּחֱזַק (vayyekhezaq), a Qal preterite: “and it was hardened” or “strengthened to resist.” This forms the summary statement of this stage in the drama. The verb used in v. 34 to report Pharaoh’s response was וַיַּכְבֵּד (vayyakhbed), a Hiphil preterite: “and he hardened [his heart]” or made it stubborn. The use of two descriptions of Pharaoh’s heart in close succession, along with mention of his servants’ heart condition, underscores the growing extent of the problem.