Bible Strands
Exodus 9:34
When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart—he and his officials.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Pharaoh observes the immediate cessation of the hail plague after Moses intercedes, prompting him and his court to repeat their prior defiance. This moment occurs directly after the storm ends and the land is spared.
The words — The Hebrew וַ/יֹּ֣סֶף (va/i.Yo.sef) literally means "and he repeated" or "and he added," marking a deliberate recurrence rather than a spontaneous reaction. This verb tracks Pharaoh’s conscious choice to double down on his resistance after experiencing relief.
The thread — This pattern of temporary relief followed by deliberate hardening appears in Exodus 8:15 and Exodus 7:14, where Pharaoh consistently refuses to yield despite witnessed signs. The sequence fulfills the earlier declaration that the Lord would harden Pharaoh’s heart to display His power (Exodus 4:21).
Why it lands — The text states a factual sequence: Pharaoh sees the plague stop, then actively chooses to sin and harden his heart again alongside his officials. It requires acknowledging that divine restraint does not guarantee repentance, and that repeated resistance to clear evidence cements into irreversible defiance.
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
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
Cross-references
- Exodus 7:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people 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 8:15 When Pharaoh saw that there was relief, however, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
- 2 Chronicles 28:22 In the time of his distress, King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 33:23 but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt.
- 2 Chronicles 36:13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.
- Ecclesiastes 8:11 When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
- Romans 2:4 Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?