Exodus – Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart?
The account of the ten plagues of Egypt frequently refers to the ‘hardening’ of Pharaoh’s heart. Because ‘hardness of heart’ suggests to us something to do with the emotions, Goldingay prefers to think of this as ‘the closing of Pharaoh’s mind’. There are four aspects to this:-
- Yahweh will close Pharaoh’s mind: Exodus 4:21; 7:3; 14:4
- Pharaoh’s mind was closed: Exodus 7:13, 14, 22; 8:19; 9:7, 35
- Pharaoh closed his mind: Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34
- Yahweh closed Pharaoh’s mind: Exodus 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:8
Alexander refers to the ‘strengthening’ of Pharaoh’s heart. …