◄ Exodus 9:12 ►
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said to Moses.
Study Bible
But the LORD
This phrase emphasizes the sovereignty and active role of God in the unfolding events. The Hebrew word for "LORD" here is "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, which signifies His eternal presence and covenant faithfulness. This highlights that the actions taken are not random but are part of God's divine plan and purpose.

hardened
The Hebrew word used here is "chazaq," which means to strengthen, make firm, or harden. In the context of Pharaoh's heart, it suggests a divine strengthening of Pharaoh's resolve against letting the Israelites go. This hardening is not merely a passive allowance but an active reinforcement of Pharaoh's existing disposition, demonstrating God's control over human affairs to fulfill His purposes.

Pharaoh’s heart
The heart in Hebrew thought is the center of one's emotions, will, and intellect. Pharaoh's heart being hardened indicates a deep-seated resistance to God's commands. This phrase underscores the spiritual battle between God's will and human obstinacy, illustrating the profound impact of divine intervention on human decisions.

and he did not listen to them
This phrase reflects Pharaoh's continued disobedience and refusal to heed the warnings and commands delivered by Moses and Aaron. The act of not listening is a recurring theme in the Exodus narrative, symbolizing the spiritual deafness and rebellion against God's authority. It serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of ignoring divine instruction.

just as the LORD had told Moses
This phrase reaffirms the fulfillment of God's word and His omniscience. It points back to earlier revelations where God informed Moses that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened (Exodus 4:21). This consistency between God's foretelling and the unfolding events underscores the reliability and truth of God's word, encouraging believers to trust in His promises and timing.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who demonstrates His power and sovereignty over Egypt and its gods.

2. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt, whose heart is hardened by God, leading to his refusal to release the Israelites.

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

4. Egypt
The land where the Israelites are enslaved, and the setting for the plagues that demonstrate God's power.

5. The Plagues
A series of divine judgments on Egypt, designed to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty
Recognize that God is in control of all events, including the hearts of rulers and nations.

Human Responsibility
While God hardens hearts, individuals are still responsible for their responses to God's commands.

Divine Judgment and Mercy
Understand that God's judgments serve a purpose in His redemptive plan, often leading to opportunities for repentance and mercy.

Obedience to God's Call
Like Moses, we are called to obey God's instructions, even when facing opposition or hard-heartedness.

The Danger of a Hardened Heart
Guard against hardening your heart to God's voice, remaining open and responsive to His leading.
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 see the balance between God's sovereignty and human responsibility in the account of Pharaoh?

3. How can the example of Pharaoh's hardened heart serve as a warning for us today in our personal walk with God?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure our hearts remain soft and responsive to God's voice?

5. How does the account of Pharaoh and the plagues connect to the broader account of God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Romans 9
Paul discusses God's sovereignty and mercy, using Pharaoh as an example of God's right to harden whom He wills.

Exodus 4
God foretells to Moses that He will harden Pharaoh's heart, showing His foreknowledge and plan.

1 Samuel 6
The Philistines recall the hardening of Pharaoh's heart as a warning, illustrating the lasting impact of God's actions in Egypt.

Isaiah 63
Reflects on God's past acts of deliverance and judgment, including the hardening of hearts.

Hebrews 3
Warns believers not to harden their hearts as in the rebellion, drawing a parallel to the Israelites' experience.
Sermons
A Type of Corrupt SoulsProf. Gaussen.Exodus 9:8-12
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Exodus 9:8-12
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Exodus 9:8-12
Sixth PlagueJ. Urquhart Exodus 9:8-12
The Helplessness of Wicked Men in the Hour of Divine RetributionJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 9:8-12
The Insignificant Commencement of Great CalamitiesJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 9:8-12
The Physical Suffering Brought Upon Men by SinJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 9:8-12
The Sixth Plague - the Boils and BlainsD. Young Exodus 9:8-12
The Plague of Boils and BlainsJ. Orr Exodus 9:8-13
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Israelites, Moses, Pharaoh
Places
Egypt, Goshen
Topics
Aaron, Didn't, Ear, Hardened, Hearken, Hearkened, Heart, Listen, Pharaoh, Pharaoh's, Spoke, Spoken, Strengtheneth, Stubborn
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 9:12

     6663   freedom, of will

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

Links
Exodus 9:12 NIV
Exodus 9:12 NLT
Exodus 9:12 ESV
Exodus 9:12 NASB
Exodus 9:12 KJV

Exodus 9:12 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Exodus 9:11
Top of Page
Top of Page