The Hebrew text uses three words that are translated “harden.”
The first word is kavad כַּבד, which means “to make heavy, dull, and
unresponsive.” This is used in 8:15, 32; 9:7, 34, and 10:1. In three of the
verses Pharaoh hardened or made his heart full (8:15, 32; 9:34). In one verse
God does it (10:1). In another it is unclear who is doing the hardening (9:7).
In 9:34, it is Pharaoh and his servants hardening their hearts. This is the
same word used in Isaiah 6:10 when God tells the prophet to render the ears of
the people of Israel “dull,” i.e., to make them unable to hear. The “making
heavy or dull” was a consequence of Israel’s disobedience to the Lord, and in
the time of Isaiah, it led to refining judgment. It was the same for Pharaoh
and his court. God’s hardening was a consequence for their sin against God.
The second Hebrew word is qashah קָשָׁה. It has
many meanings in Hebrew including to make difficult, to make hard, severe,
stiff, burdensome, and stubborn. This is used in Exodus 7:3 where God says he
will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he may multiply his wonders in the land of
Egypt.
The final and the one most frequently used is chazaq
חָזַק and it means “to strengthen.” We find this in 4:21; 7:13, 22;
8:19; 9:2, 12, 35; 10:20, 27; 11:10; 12:33; 14:4, 8, 17.
The verses in bold indicate that God is doing the strengthening/hardening. The other
verses are ambiguous Eight times God says he strengthened Pharaoh’s heart. The context
of these is also important. In 9:8-12 we read of the plague of boils. The
narrative tells us that the magicians of Egypt were not able to duplicate this
miracle, and we find an interesting comment in 9:12 that Pharaoh refused to
listen to his magicians. They were telling Pharaoh, dependent upon his
magicians, would normally acquiesce and listen, but God would not allow him to
listen to them. He hardened, i.e., he strengthened Pharoh’s resolve to continue
to stand in his struggle to keep the Hebrews as his slaves.
In 10:12-20, we read about the plague of locusts. In
10:16 we find Pharaoh hurriedly calling Moses and Aaron, confessing that he has
sinned against God and them, asking for forgiveness, and asking for prayer for
the locusts to be removed. God removed the locusts, but he also strengthened
Pharaoh’s heart so that he would change his mind and not allow the people to go.
Why? God had more that he wanted to show.
In 10:21-29 we read about the plague of darkness and Pharaoh
telling the Israelites to leave and serve the Lord but they must leave their
cattle in Egypt. Moses replied that the cattle must come with them, and God hardened
Pharaoh’s heart not to let them go. God had more that he wanted to show.
In 11:1-10, Moses announced the last plague of darkness
and Pharaoh telling the Israelites to leave and serve the Lord, but they must
leave their cattle in Egypt. Moses replied that the cattle must come with them,
and God hardened Pharaoh’s heart not to let them go. God had more that he
wanted to show.
In 11:1-10, Moses announced the last plague, the death of
the firstborn. He told Pharaoh that all the people would bow to Moses, and they
would tell the Israelites to leave. But God hardened Pharaoh’s heart not to
yield to the threat of this last plague.
Finally, in 14:4, 8, and 17, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart
(and the hearts of his army—see verse 17) so that they chased after the Hebrews
and were then engulfed in the waters of the sea.
What is our purpose in examining these Exodus narratives?
It is to understand the plan behind the hardening work of God. The stories are
about God revealing his glory to the nations. The stories show that God raised
up Pharaoh, i.e., he gave him strength to withstand all the plagues so that God
could proclaim his name throughout the earth. In this way, the nations would
see that the God of Israel was the true God. This is the story Paul invoked
when he quoted Exodus 9:16. Paul was showing that just as God had mercy upon
his sinful people and advanced his plans in the world through them, he could also
use stubborn pagan rulers, give them strength to stand against him, and advance
his plan of proclaiming his name to the world. It was all to advance his
covenant plan for the nations. (Jonathan Williams, Romans 9 and the Story
Paul was Telling [2023], 60-62)
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