◄ Exodus 9:35 ►
So Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had said through Moses.
Study Bible
So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened
The phrase "Pharaoh’s heart was hardened" is a recurring theme in the narrative of the Exodus. The Hebrew word for "hardened" is "חָזַק" (chazaq), which can mean to strengthen, make firm, or harden. This hardening of Pharaoh's heart is both a divine act and a reflection of Pharaoh's own stubbornness. In the context of the ancient Near East, the heart was considered the center of will and decision-making. Thus, Pharaoh's hardened heart signifies his resolute defiance against God's command. This hardening serves as a demonstration of God's sovereignty and justice, as He allows Pharaoh's own choices to lead to his downfall, fulfilling His divine plan.

and he would not let the Israelites go
The refusal to let the Israelites go is a direct act of disobedience against God's command. The Hebrew verb "שָׁלַח" (shalach) means to send away or let go. Pharaoh's refusal is not just a political decision but a spiritual rebellion against the God of Israel. Historically, the Israelites' bondage in Egypt was a significant period of suffering, and their liberation was a pivotal moment in their identity as God's chosen people. Pharaoh's obstinacy highlights the struggle between human authority and divine will, emphasizing the need for submission to God's purposes.

just as the LORD had said
This phrase underscores the fulfillment of God's word and His omniscience. The Hebrew name for the LORD here is "יהוה" (YHWH), the covenant name of God, which signifies His eternal presence and faithfulness. God's foreknowledge and prophetic declarations through Moses reveal His control over the events unfolding in Egypt. This assurance of God's word coming to pass is a source of comfort and encouragement for believers, affirming that God's promises are reliable and His plans are unchangeable.

through Moses
Moses, as God's chosen prophet and leader, serves as the intermediary between God and Pharaoh. The Hebrew name "מֹשֶׁה" (Moshe) is associated with being drawn out, reflecting his own deliverance from the Nile and his role in drawing the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses' obedience and faithfulness in delivering God's message, despite Pharaoh's resistance, exemplify the courage and perseverance required in fulfilling God's calling. His leadership is a testament to the power of faith and the importance of trusting in God's guidance, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable opposition.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt, whose heart was hardened against letting the Israelites go, demonstrating his resistance to God's will.

2. Moses
The prophet and leader chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The God of Israel, who demonstrates His power and sovereignty through the plagues and the hardening of Pharaoh's heart.

4. The Israelites
The descendants of Jacob, enslaved in Egypt, whom God intends to deliver.

5. Egypt
The land where the Israelites were enslaved and where God displayed His power through the plagues.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty
Recognize that God is in control, even over the hearts of rulers and nations. His purposes will be accomplished despite human resistance.

The Danger of a Hardened Heart
Be aware of the spiritual danger of hardening one's heart against God's commands and promptings. It leads to spiritual blindness and judgment.

Fulfillment of God's Word
Trust in the reliability of God's word. What He declares will come to pass, as seen in the fulfillment of His warning about Pharaoh's heart.

The Role of Obedience
Reflect on the importance of obedience to God. Pharaoh's disobedience led to his downfall, while obedience leads to blessing and deliverance.

God's Patience and Justice
Understand that God's patience is not an endorsement of sin but an opportunity for repentance. His justice will ultimately prevail.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the hardening of Pharaoh's heart demonstrate God's sovereignty, and what implications does this have for our understanding of God's control over world events?

2. In what ways can we guard against hardening our own hearts in response to God's commands or guidance?

3. How does the fulfillment of God's word in Exodus 9:35 encourage us to trust in His promises today?

4. What lessons can we learn from Pharaoh's disobedience about the consequences of resisting God's will?

5. How can we apply the principle of God's patience and justice in our interactions with others, especially those who seem resistant to the gospel?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 4:21
This verse foretells that God will harden Pharaoh's heart, showing the fulfillment of God's word in Exodus 9:35.

Romans 9:17-18
Paul references Pharaoh to illustrate God's sovereignty and purpose in hardening hearts for His glory.

Hebrews 3:7-8
Warns believers not to harden their hearts as in the rebellion, drawing a parallel to Pharaoh's hardened heart.

Proverbs 28:14
Highlights the blessing of a responsive heart and the danger of hardening one's heart against God.
Sermons
The Plague of HailJ. Orr Exodus 9:13-35
The Seventh Plague - the Hail Mingled with FireD. Young Exodus 9:17-35
The Terrors of God's MightJ. Urquhart Exodus 9:22-35
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Exodus 9:34-35
Pharaoh's Conduct After the StormW. Lilley.Exodus 9:34-35
Repentance Under JudgmentsExodus 9:34-35
The Cessation of Penitential SorrowJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 9:34-35
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Israelites, Moses, Pharaoh
Places
Egypt, Goshen
Topics
Didn't, Hardened, Heart, Israelites, Mouth, Pharaoh, Pharaoh's, Sons, Spoken, Strong, Stubborn
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 9:34-35

     6178   hardness of heart

Library
Confession of Sin --A Sermon with Seven Texts
The Hardened Sinner. PHARAOH--"I have sinned."--Exodus 9:27. I. The first case I shall bring before you is that of the HARDENED SINNER, who, when under terror, says, "I have sinned." And you will find the text in the book of Exodus, the 9th chap. and 27th verse: "And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." But why this confession from the lips of the haughty tyrant? He was not often wont to …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New
(Palm Sunday.) Exodus ix. 14. I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. We are now beginning Passion Week, the week of the whole year which ought to teach us most theology; that is, most concerning God, his character and his spirit. For in this Passion Week God did that which utterly and perfectly showed forth his glory, as it never has been shown forth before or since. …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch

The Plagues of Egypt
(Palm Sunday.) EXODUS ix. 13, 14. Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. You will understand, I think, the meaning of the ten plagues of Egypt better, if I explain to you in a few words what kind of a country Egypt is, what kind of people the Egyptians were. Some of you, doubtless, …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch

Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
(Galilee on the Same Day as the Last Section.) ^A Matt. XII. 38-45; ^C Luke XI. 24-36. ^c 29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, ^a 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. [Having been severely rebuked by Jesus, it is likely that the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign that they might appear to the multitude more fair-minded and open to conviction than Jesus had represented them to be. Jesus had just wrought …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Hardening in the Sacred Scripture.
"He hath hardened their heart."-- John xii. 40. The Scripture teaches positively that the hardening and "darkening of their foolish heart" is a divine, intentional act. This is plainly evident from God's charge to Moses concerning the king of Egypt: "Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not harken unto you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Sovereignty of God in Reprobation
"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God" (Rom. 11:22). In the last chapter when treating of the Sovereignty of God the Father in Salvation, we examined seven passages which represent Him as making a choice from among the children of men, and predestinating certain ones to be conformed to the image of His Son. The thoughtful reader will naturally ask, And what of those who were not "ordained to eternal life?" The answer which is usually returned to this question, even by those who profess …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Exposition of Chap. Iii. (ii. 28-32. )
Ver. 1. "And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." The communication of the Spirit of God was the constant prerogative of the Covenant-people. Indeed, the very idea of such a people necessarily requires it. For the Spirit of God is the only inward bond betwixt Him and that which is created; a Covenant-people, therefore, without such an inward …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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