Exodus 10 1

Exodus 10:1 kjv

And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs before him:

Exodus 10:1 nkjv

Now the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him,

Exodus 10:1 niv

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 signs of mine among them

Exodus 10:1 esv

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them,

Exodus 10:1 nlt

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can display my miraculous signs among them.

Exodus 10 verses

Exodus 10 1 Meaning

Exodus 10:1 conveys a divine command from the LORD to Moses, instructing him to confront Pharaoh once more. The verse states God's explicit reason for allowing and even intensifying Pharaoh's and his servants' stubborn refusal: that God may perform His mighty signs, the plagues, among them. This action serves to display His supreme power, authority, and identity to all who witness it.

Exodus 10 1 Context

Exodus 10:1 comes at a critical juncture in the plagues, immediately preceding the eighth plague of locusts. Up to this point, seven devastating plagues have fallen upon Egypt, each progressively more severe, striking at different facets of Egyptian life and deities. While Pharaoh initially hardened his own heart (Exod 7:13; 8:15, 32; 9:34), God's active hardening of Pharaoh's heart begins to be explicitly stated (Exod 9:12) as a judgment and to fulfill His ultimate redemptive purpose. This verse signals a shift; God is not merely reacting to Pharaoh's defiance but actively ensuring that Pharaoh's heart remains impenetrable until His divine plan of displaying glory and making His name known is fully realized through a comprehensive series of demonstrations. The larger context is God's covenant promise to deliver Israel from bondage and the establishment of YHWH as the supreme God over all creation, explicitly challenging the polytheistic beliefs and divine kingship of Egypt.

Exodus 10 1 Word analysis

• Then the LORD said to Moses: This phrase (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה - vayyōʾmer YHWH ʾel-Mōsheh) indicates a direct, authoritative divine utterance. "YHWH" (often rendered as LORD in English) is God's personal, covenant name, emphasizing His unwavering character, faithfulness, and self-existence, underscoring the solemnity and certainty of His command to Moses.
• Go in to Pharaoh: The Hebrew בֹּא אֶל-פַּרְעֹה (bōʾ ʾel-Parʿōh) is a direct command. "Go in" implies confronting Pharaoh in his presence, symbolizing a direct challenge from God's messenger to the seemingly invincible ruler of the world's superpower. It signifies divine audacity in the face of human pride.
• for I have hardened his heart: The pivotal phrase here is כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת-לִבּוֹ (kî ʾănî hikbadtî ʾet-libbô).
  • "I have hardened" (הִכְבַּדְתִּי - hikbadtî) is the Hiphil form of the verb kāvēd, which literally means "to make heavy" or "to make weighty/honorable," but can also mean "to make dull" or "to harden." Here, it signifies God's active involvement in intensifying, fixing, or rendering impenetrable Pharaoh's pre-existing stubbornness, which Pharaoh himself initiated multiple times. It implies a divine judicial act, not the creation of sin from innocence.
  • "his heart" (לִבּוֹ - libbô): In Hebrew thought, the "heart" is the core of a person's being—the seat of will, intellect, and moral choices, not merely emotions. Therefore, hardening the heart refers to making his entire being resistant to God's command and revelation.
• and the heart of his servants: (וְאֶת-לֵב עֲבָדָיו - wĕʾet-lēḇ ʿăḇādāyw) expands the scope of the hardening beyond Pharaoh to include his entire court. This indicates a systemic and widespread defiance against God's will, ensuring that no internal pressure from his advisors would compel Pharaoh to release Israel, and demonstrating God's sovereign hand over the entire power structure of Egypt.
• that I may perform these My signs: The Hebrew לְמַעַן שִׁתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה (lĕmaʿan s̠iṭtî ʾōṯōtay ʾēlleh) articulates God's ultimate purpose.
  • "that I may perform" (literally "to set/place" or "to perform"): This indicates the active, deliberate intention behind God's action.
  • "My signs" (אֹתֹתַי - ʾōṯōtay): The plagues are not random catastrophes but divinely orchestrated "signs" or "portents." They are evidences of God's character, power, and authority, each demonstrating His supremacy over a particular Egyptian deity or aspect of nature controlled by Egyptian gods. "My" emphasizes their divine origin and purpose.
• among them: (בְּקִרְבּוֹ - bĕqirbô) literally "in his midst." This means the signs were to be openly displayed within Egypt, visible to both Egyptians and Israelites, serving as a powerful, public revelation of God's sovereignty and a testimony for future generations.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Go in to Pharaoh...": This established command emphasizes God's proactive initiation and sovereignty over the narrative. It highlights Moses' role as a direct conduit of divine will and Pharaoh's position as the recipient of divine confrontation. The structure reinforces God's direct intervention in human affairs.
• "...for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants...": This explanatory clause provides the theological foundation for the ongoing struggle. It reveals God's control not only over natural events (plagues) but also over the hearts and wills of individuals and nations, albeit within a context of prior human stubbornness. It indicates that Pharaoh's recalcitrance is not an obstacle to God's plan but a divinely permitted means to accomplish it. This hardening serves as a judgment while also highlighting God's power.
• "...that I may perform these My signs among them": This final purpose clause explicitly states God's overarching goal. The plagues are designed not merely as punishment, but as grand "signs" or public demonstrations. They are orchestrated to reveal God's identity ("My") and unparalleled power to a pagan nation and to His own people. This sets the stage for God's glory to be profoundly manifested, preparing the way for Israel's exodus and the establishment of His name throughout the earth.

Exodus 10 1 Bonus section

The theological implications of divine hardening, as seen in Exod 10:1, are extensive. It introduces the concept of judicial hardening, where God confirms and solidifies a heart that has already chosen a path of defiance. It's not a pre-conversion act against an innocent soul, but a judgment on persistent rebellion. Pharaoh had numerous opportunities to submit and change his mind, but his continued resistance ultimately led to God giving him over to his own chosen path. This passage establishes God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, including the human will, even in its rebellion. He utilizes all things, good and evil, to bring about His perfect will and ultimately manifest His glory. Pharaoh's hardened heart thus becomes a monument to God's power and a warning against defying His divine decrees.

Exodus 10 1 Commentary

Exodus 10:1 encapsulates a profound theological truth about divine sovereignty and human responsibility. At this stage of the narrative, Pharaoh has repeatedly hardened his own heart, defying the LORD despite increasingly severe consequences. God now declares His active role in the hardening, emphasizing that even Pharaoh's stubbornness is not outside His control but is strategically integrated into His grand purpose. This "hardening" is a judicial act, a divine judgment upon a king whose pride and idolatry had led him to resist the one true God.

The purpose is not arbitrary but serves two key objectives: firstly, to enable the continuation and display of "My signs" (the plagues), showcasing the LORD's unmatched power and identity to a world steeped in idolatry, particularly in Egyptian polytheism. Each plague directly challenged a facet of Egyptian cosmology or deity. Secondly, the long drawn-out conflict serves as a permanent testimony for future generations—both for Israel to recount God's mighty acts of deliverance and for all nations to acknowledge the supremacy of YHWH. This verse powerfully asserts that even the opposition of powerful rulers ultimately bends to God's will, ensuring His name is proclaimed and His redemptive plan for His people unfolds.