Pharaoh's heart

[pixdogg]

Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart?

I think it's because God wanted to show Pharaoh and us how powerful He is, and also thats why we should fear.

Am I wrong? Whats your opinin on this

 

[StAnselm]

No, I think you're right. After all, that's what God said himself...

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD."

The LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart
i) For an opportunity to do great miracles
ii) To give the Israelites something to tell the grandkids
iii) So that they may know he is the LORD

So yes, it is showing how powerful he is. It is also that God's people would know for sure that he was on there side. He was both able and willing to save them.

 

[Edial]

Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart?

I think it's because God wanted to show Pharaoh and us how powerful He is, and also thats why we should fear.

Am I wrong? Whats your opinin on this

Pharaoh hardened his own heart first and eventually God hardened it for him.
It is a common Biblical methodology that one reaps what he sows.
Thanks,
Ed

 

[unimportantbuthisnameis]

Pharaoh hardened his own heart first and eventually God hardened it for him.
It is a common Biblical methodology that one reaps what he sows.
Thanks,
Ed

This is the line of thinking that I believe.

 

[talitha]

I agree.....

the first thing I thought of when I read your question was -- same reason Elijah poured water on the sacrifice -- also the same reason God suggested that Satan "consider Job" and allowed Peter to be sifted....

blessings
tal

 

[deu58]

Hi all

There was a time when Egypt had a knowledge and fear of God,

Ge 12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.

Ge 12:18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

The Egyptians were already on the road of idolatry but still had not forgotten the Lord completely, After almost 500 years the corruption of idolatry bore its fruit

Ex 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

This Pharaoh had lost all knowledge of God and mocked God when Moses spoke to him,

Pharaoh was an evil and cruel man long before God told Moses he was going to harden his heart,

Ex 1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

Ex 1:16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

Pharaoh built his own road to hell and became a servant of Satan and an enemy of God through his own free will, God through his omniscience already knew that Pharaoh's conscience had been seared with a hot iron, He was already lost and beyond redemption when God hardened his heart, God used Satan's man to save many lives and bring about the nation that would give us Jesus,

Yours in Christ
Deu 58

 

[filosofer]

Note that the Exodus narrative has three different Hebrew words that are often translated "harden". All references, unless noted, are from Exodus.

1) KhaZaQ (Greek: SKLHRUNW) - is the base word meaning "strong" or caustive: "make strong". In the context, the word refers to the arrogance and will of Pharaoh.

7:13 [passive]
7:22 (1st plague: Blood)
8:15, 19 [passive] (3rd Plague: Gnats)
9:12 "Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart strong" (6th Plague: Boils)
9:35 (7th Plague: Hail)
10:20 "Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart strong" (8th plague: Locusts)
10:27 "Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart strong" (9th Plague: Darkness)
11:10 "Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart strong" (Summary of plagues)
14:4 "I [Yahweh] will make Pharaoh's heart strong"

2) KhaBoD (Greek: EBARUNEN) - "heavy" or caustive: "make heavy". In the context, the word carries the sense of a heart that is so heavy that it is insensitive to the leading of God - even through miraculous plagues.

7:14 "Pharoah's heart is stubborn (heavy)"
8:15 (English) "he [Pharoah] made his heart heavy"
8:32 (English) "Pharaoh made his heart heavy"
9:7 [passive] "the heart of Pharaoh was heavy"
10:1 "I [Yahweh] have made Pharaoh's heart heavy"


3) QaSHaH - "be hard, severe" or "stubborn"

7:3 Yahweh will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn (Summary of what Yahweh will do)

 

[ASLER86]

Pharaoh hardened his own heart first and eventually God hardened it for him.
It is a common Biblical methodology that one reaps what he sows.
Thanks,
Ed

I agree with this.

I also agree with StAnslem...

 

[ischus]

Note that the Exodus narrative has three different Hebrew words that are often translated "harden". All references, unless noted, are from Exodus.

1) KhaZaQ (Greek: SKLHRUNW) - is the base word meaning "strong" or caustive: "make strong". In the context, the word refers to the arrogance and will of Pharaoh.

7:13 [passive]
7:22 (1st plague: Blood)
8:15, 19 [passive] (3rd Plague: Gnats)
9:12 "Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart strong" (6th Plague: Boils)
9:35 (7th Plague: Hail)
10:20 "Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart strong" (8th plague: Locusts)
10:27 "Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart strong" (9th Plague: Darkness)
11:10 "Yahweh made Pharaoh's heart strong" (Summary of plagues)
14:4 "I [Yahweh] will make Pharaoh's heart strong"

2) KhaBoD (Greek: EBARUNEN) - "heavy" or caustive: "make heavy". In the context, the word carries the sense of a heart that is so heavy that it is insensitive to the leading of God - even through miraculous plagues.

7:14 "Pharoah's heart is stubborn (heavy)"
8:15 (English) "he [Pharoah] made his heart heavy"
8:32 (English) "Pharaoh made his heart heavy"
9:7 [passive] "the heart of Pharaoh was heavy"
10:1 "I [Yahweh] have made Pharaoh's heart heavy"


3) QaSHaH - "be hard, severe" or "stubborn"

7:3 Yahweh will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn (Summary of what Yahweh will do)

This is an excellent point. Qashah and kabed refer to a mindset (heartset in this case). Chazaq deals with the will of Pharaoh and only comes after a certain point in the hardening process. Chazaq is actually not a "hardening" per se, but more of an "encouraging" of the will to continue on in its course. For example, Deut.1:38 uses chazaq in reference to Joshua being "encouraged." So, in effect, God is only strengthening Pharaoh to do what it is that he wants to do.

After a certain point, Pharaoh (and his magicians) realize that the things that they are seeing are the "finger of God." Pharaoh is attempted to give up out of fear (not faith) at this point. That is why God must chazaq him in order that Pharaoh's will might be carried out. The Exodus event was foundational to the faith of Israel and many other nations/people (e.g. Rahab), so one can see why God was encouraging Pharaoh to have his actions match his hardened heart, rather than give up because of fear.

 

[Edial]

filosofer and ischus, thank you both.
Ed