The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart

Resources for Narrative Theology in Exodus

Dennis Bratcher

God Hardening Pharaoh’s heart (statement of future action)

4:21 And the LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your power; but I will harden [חזק, hazaq] his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 4:22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD: Israel is my firstborn son. 4:23 I said to you, "Let my son go that he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; now I will kill your firstborn son.'"

7:3 But I will harden [קשׁה, qashah] Pharaoh's heart, and I will multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. 7:4 When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay my hand upon Egypt and bring my people the Israelites, company by company, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. 7:5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them."

Pharaoh Hardening His Own Heart (recounting past action)

13:14 When in the future your child asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall answer, 'By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 13:15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused [קשׁה, qashah] to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.'

Pharaoh Changing His Heart (recounting present action)

14:5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the heart of Pharaoh and his officials were changed [הפך, haphak] toward the people, and they said, "What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?"

Pharaoh Hardening His Own Heart (recounting present action, includes passive descriptions)

7:13 Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened [חזק, hazaq], and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said. 7:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is hardened [כבד, kabad]; he refuses to let the people go.

7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh's heart remained hardened [חזק, hazaq], and he would not listen to them; as the LORD had said. 7:23 Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart.

8:15 [Heb 8:11] But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened [כבד, kabad] his heart, and would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

8:19 [Heb 8:15] And the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God!" But Pharaoh's heart was hardened [חזק, hazaq], and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

8:32 [Heb 8:28] But Pharaoh hardened [כבד, kabad] his heart this time also, and would not let the people go.

9:7 Pharaoh inquired and found that not one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened [כבד, kabad], and he would not let the people go.

9:34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned once more and hardened his heart [כבד, kabad], he and his officials. 9:35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened [חזק, hazaq], and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

God Hardening Pharaoh’s heart (recounting present action)

9:12 But the LORD hardened [חזק, hazaq] the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

10:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh; for I have hardened [כבד, kabad] his heart and the heart of his officials, in order that I may show these signs of mine among them, 10:2 and that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I have made fools of the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them--so that you may know that I am the LORD."

10:20 But the LORD hardened [חזק, hazaq] Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

10:27 But the LORD hardened [חזק, hazaq] Pharaoh's heart, and he was unwilling to let them go.

11:9 The LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, in order that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." 11:10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; but the LORD hardened [חזק, hazaq] Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

14:4 I will harden [חזק, hazaq] Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, so that I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.

14:8 The LORD hardened [חזק, hazaq] the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out boldly.

14:17 Then I will harden [חזק, hazaq] the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. 14:18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.

Conditional Statements

3:19 I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go except by a mighty hand.

8:1 [Heb 7:27] Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 8:2 If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs.

8:20 [Heb 8:16] Then the LORD said to Moses, "Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 8:21 For if you will not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, and your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies; so also the land where they live.

9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 9:2 For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, 9:3 the hand of the LORD will strike with a deadly pestilence your livestock in the field: the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks.

10:3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 10:4 For if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country.