Bible Strands
Exodus 10:27
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was unwilling to let them go.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records that the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart immediately after Moses demanded all Israelite livestock accompany them to worship Yahweh. This statement precedes Pharaoh’s final, violent dismissal of Moses.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיְחַזֵּק (wa-yḥazzēq) literally means “he made strong,” describing divine action upon Pharaoh’s לֵב (lēḇ, “heart”). The verb אָבָה (’āḇâ) is negated to state “he was unwilling to let them go.”
The thread — This hardening motif appears in Exodus 10:20, Exodus 4:21, and Exodus 14:4, consistently preceding judgments and the pursuit of Israel. The textual pattern establishes Yahweh’s sovereign control over the negotiation and the impending confrontation.
Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to acknowledge that human refusal operates within divine permission. It demands recognition that God’s purposes advance through obstinate resistance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
Cross-references
- Exodus 10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.
- Exodus 4:21 The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
- Exodus 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. But I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So this is what the Israelites did.
- Exodus 14:8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly.
- Exodus 10:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials, that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them,
- Revelation 9:20 Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.
- Revelation 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and men began to gnaw their tongues in anguish