God's Sovereignty Over Pharaoh's Hardened Heart in Exodus
The biblical narrative of the Exodus repeatedly states that Pharaoh's heart was hardened, preventing him from releasing the Israelites from bondage [1]. This hardening is attributed both to Pharaoh himself and to God, raising questions about divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
Several passages indicate that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. For instance, after the plague of frogs, "Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said" (Exodus 8:15 ESV). Similarly, following the plague of hail, "Pharaoh hardened his heart still further, and he did not let the people go" (Exodus 9:34 ESV) [7]. This suggests a volitional act on Pharaoh's part, where he chose to resist God's commands despite experiencing divine judgment. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, suggests that God "permitted the natural obstinacy of Pharaoh's haughty heart to have its full sway, after each resistance of the gracious influence which was intended to soften and bring him to repentance" [4].
However, other texts explicitly state that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Before Moses even confronted Pharaoh, God declared, "I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go" (Exodus 4:21 ESV). Later, after several plagues, the text states, "But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go" (Exodus 10:20 KJV) [2]. The Geneva Bible of 1599 also notes, "For the Lord had hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he followed after the children of Israel" (Exodus 14:8) [3]. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, interprets this as God giving Pharaoh up to "judicial hardness of heart" after Pharaoh had repeatedly hardened his own heart [6]. This divine action is understood by some as God confirming Pharaoh in his chosen path of resistance, rather than coercing an unwilling heart [6].
The relationship between Pharaoh's self-hardening and God's hardening of his heart is a complex theological point. Tyndale House notes that "mystery surrounds the relationship between statements that people harden their own hearts... and statements that God hardens people's hearts" [8]. What is clear, however, is that God's actions in hardening Pharaoh's heart served a divine purpose: to demonstrate His power and to ensure the complete triumph of His people [4, 9]. This divine hardening was not arbitrary but occurred in the context of Pharaoh's persistent rebellion and refusal to acknowledge God's authority [5, 8].
Sources
- Exodus “The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses. -- Exodus 9:35”
- Exodus “Exodus 10:20 (KJV) — But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.”
- Exodus “Exodus 14:8 (Geneva1599) — (For the Lord had hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he followed after the children of Israel: but the children of Israel went out with an hie hand)”
- Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 10:27: The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart - He had yet another miracle to work for the complete conviction of the Egyptians and triumph of his people; and till that was wrought he permitted the natural obstinacy of Pharaoh's haughty heart to have its full sway, after each resistance of the gracious influence which was intended to soften and bring him to repentance.”
- Exodus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Exodus 7:3: I will harden Pharaoh's heart--This would be the result. But the divine message would be the occasion, not the cause of the king's impenitent obduracy.”
- Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 9:12: And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh,.... He having often, and so long hardened his own heart, God gave him up to judicial hardness of heart, to his own corruptions, the temptations of Satan, and the lying magicians about him, to make an ill use of everything that offered to him, and put a wrong construction on all that befell him, so that whatever was said to him, or inflicted on him, made no impression to any purpose: and he hearkened not unto them; to Moses and Aaron, and to the Lord by them: as the Lord had spoken to Moses; both that he would harden his ”
- Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 9:34: And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened,.... Instead of being softened, as it seemed to be when under the plague, it became harder and harder when delivered from it: neither would he let the children of Israel go; though he had so absolutely promised it, and assured them that he would not keep them, and that they should not stay any longer: as the Lord had spoken by Moses; that so his heart would be hardened until the signs and wonders were multiplied upon him, God designed to perform, Exo 4:21. Next: Exodus Chapter 10”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 2:30: 2:30 made Sihon stubborn and defiant (literally had hardened his spirit and strengthened his heart): Like Pharaoh (see Exod 7:13), Sihon was incorrigibly unrepentant and thus experienced God’s wrath. God knew that any further extension of grace to these rulers would be useless. Mystery surrounds the relationship between statements that people harden their own hearts (e.g., Exod 7:13, 22; 8:15) and statements that God hardens people’s hearts (e.g., Exod 4:21; 7:3; 9:12). What is clear is that God appeals for repentance and is ready to forgive, but when people ”
- Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 10 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 10 This chapter is introduced with giving the reasons why the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, Exo 10:1. Moses and Aaron go in to him, and once more demanded in the name of the Lord the dismission of the people of Israel, and in case of refusal, threatened him with locusts being sent into his country, which should make terrible havoc in all his coasts, Exo 10:3, the servants of Pharaoh entreat him to let them go, upon which Moses and Aaron are brought in again, and treated with about the terms of their departure; but they, insi”