Exodus 9:35

Study note

Setting — The narrator records that Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened after the hail and thunder ceased, blocking his release of the Israelites. This statement follows Pharaoh’s acknowledgment of sin and the storm’s end, marking the moment his refusal becomes final.

The words — The Hebrew וַֽיֵּחֱזַק (va-yechzak) literally means "it was strong" or "he made strong," describing the fixed condition of Pharaoh’s לֵב (lev, "heart"). The text explicitly ties this state to the fulfillment of what the LORD had spoken through Moses.

The thread — This sequence repeats throughout the plague narratives as royal obstinacy aligns with prior prophetic declarations. The pattern directly echoes the initial warning in Exodus 4:21 regarding the wonders God would perform before Pharaoh.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to observe that stated divine prediction and human refusal operate simultaneously without contradiction. It demands recognition of the text’s explicit claim that Pharaoh’s inaction fulfills a prior spoken word.

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.