What is the meaning of Exodus 9:35? So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened “So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened”. • The verse records the aftermath of the seventh plague, showing that Pharaoh’s inner resolve became even more resistant (Exodus 9:12, 34). • Earlier, God announced this outcome: “I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go” (Exodus 4:21). His sovereign action never excuses Pharaoh; it reveals the depth of human rebellion (Romans 9:17-18; Exodus 8:15). • Pharaoh also hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:32), portraying a grim synergy between divine judgment and human pride. • Hardened hearts are spiritually desensitized, ignoring clear evidence of God’s power (Hebrews 3:7-8). and he would not let the Israelites go “and he would not let the Israelites go”. • Pharaoh’s refusal began back in Exodus 5:2—“Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice?”—and persists until the tenth plague breaks him (Exodus 12:31-32). • Each “no” heightens the contrast between Egypt’s tyrant and Israel’s Redeemer, setting the stage for spectacular deliverance (Exodus 6:6-7). • The Israelites’ captivity highlights why redemption must be entirely God’s work; human power offers no exit (Psalm 44:6-7). • Pharaoh’s obstinacy multiplies the plagues, displaying God’s justice against oppression and His compassion for His covenant people (Exodus 3:7-8). just as the LORD had said through Moses “just as the LORD had said through Moses”. • God’s foretelling in Exodus 3:19, 4:21, and 7:4 anchors the narrative; nothing surprises Him, everything fulfills His word (Isaiah 46:10-11). • Repetition of this phrase after each plague underscores Scripture’s reliability: events unfold precisely as spoken (Numbers 23:19). • Moses, God’s messenger, delivers a prophetic word that never falls to the ground, validating his authority before Israel and Egypt alike (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). • The faithfulness of God’s promises encourages believers to trust His warnings and His comforts (2 Corinthians 1:20). summary Exodus 9:35 shows a divinely foretold hardening that locks Pharaoh into stubborn rebellion, keeps Israel temporarily bound, and verifies every word God spoke through Moses. The verse reminds us that God’s sovereignty and human responsibility meet in real history, that rescue belongs to the Lord alone, and that His promises stand unbreakable—then and now. |
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