What is the meaning of Exodus 9:34? When Pharaoh saw • Pharaoh personally witnessed the dramatic plague of hail come to an end after Moses’ intercession (Exodus 9:27–33). • God had already proved His power repeatedly, yet Pharaoh’s eyes focused on outward circumstances rather than on the Lord who controlled them (John 12:37; Psalm 78:11). • The wording stresses an intentional observation: Pharaoh was not ignorant; he understood that the disaster lifted in direct connection to Moses’ prayer (Exodus 8:8–15). that the rain and hail and thunder had ceased • The cessation of judgment was meant to prompt repentance, just as Paul later says that “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). • By halting the hail, God contrasted His mercy with His wrath, making Pharaoh’s next choice unmistakable (Isaiah 26:10). • Earlier plagues had ended the same way, giving Pharaoh multiple opportunities to surrender (Exodus 8:9–15; 8:29–32). Each pause was a fresh display of God’s patience (2 Peter 3:9). he sinned again • “Again” underscores the pattern: Pharaoh repeatedly promised obedience under pressure but reverted as soon as relief came (Exodus 8:15; 8:32). • Scripture portrays deliberate, repeated rebellion as sinning “with a high hand” (Numbers 15:30–31). • Like the Proverb’s dog returning to its vomit (Proverbs 26:11), Pharaoh’s relapse illustrates how sin enslaves when the heart is unchanged (John 8:34). and hardened his heart • While God foretold He would harden Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21), this verse shows Pharaoh hardening himself—a synergy of divine judgment and human responsibility (Romans 9:17–18; Hebrews 3:7–8). • Hardening is a moral choice, not an emotional reaction; Pharaoh stiffened his will against clear revelation (Psalm 95:8). • Repeated refusal thickens spiritual calluses, making later repentance increasingly unlikely (Hebrews 3:13). he and his officials • Pharaoh’s court shared in his hardness, echoing the principle that a leader’s stance shapes his people (1 Kings 14:16). • Some officials had begun to fear the Lord after earlier plagues (Exodus 9:20), yet the majority followed Pharaoh back into rebellion, showing the contagious nature of unbelief (1 Samuel 12:14–15). • The phrase indicates collective guilt, preparing for the nationwide judgment soon to fall (Exodus 11:5). summary Exodus 9:34 reveals a tragic cycle: God pauses judgment, expecting repentance; Pharaoh sees the mercy, chooses sin, and deliberately stiffens his will, dragging his officials with him. The verse warns that witnessing God’s power without surrender leads to deeper hardness, and that every reprieve granted by God is a call to genuine, lasting repentance. |
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