Exodus 10 20

Exodus 10:20 kjv

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

Exodus 10:20 nkjv

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.

Exodus 10:20 niv

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

Exodus 10:20 esv

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.

Exodus 10:20 nlt

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart again, so he refused to let the people go.

Exodus 10 verses

Exodus 10 20 Meaning

Exodus 10:20 states that despite the plague of locusts receding and a temporary plea from Pharaoh for Moses to pray, the Lord actively made Pharaoh's will rigid and unyielding, thus preventing him from releasing the Israelites. This divine act highlights God's ultimate sovereignty over human rulers and serves His purpose in demonstrating His power and judging Egypt.

Exodus 10 20 Context

Exodus 10:20 appears immediately after the devastating eighth plague—the locusts—have ravaged Egypt. This plague consumed every remaining crop after the hail, pushing Pharaoh to his most desperate point yet. He briefly expressed a desire to seek the Lord's forgiveness (Exo 10:16-17) and requested Moses and Aaron to intercede, promising release for Israel. True to form, as soon as the threat receded and relief came (Exo 10:19), Pharaoh's resolve hardened once more. This verse explicitly attributes this renewed stubbornness to God's direct action. The broader context of the Exodus narrative positions this event within an escalating series of divine judgments on Egypt and its gods, all aimed at demonstrating Yahweh's unrivaled power and compelling Israel's release to fulfill His covenant promises. Each hardening, whether by Pharaoh himself or directly by God, serves to extend the plagues, allowing God to heap more shame on Egyptian deities and further prove His unique identity to Israel and the surrounding nations.

Exodus 10 20 Word analysis

• But: (וַיַּחֲזֵק - wayyaḥăzēq, "And strengthened/hardened"). This word functions as a conjunction that introduces a contrast or a new, decisive action. It signals a divine intervention that overrides any momentary shift in Pharaoh's disposition, often indicating a point of no return.
• the LORD: (יְהוָה - Yahweh). The personal, covenant name of Israel's God, emphasizing His sovereign agency and faithfulness to His people and His plan. It signifies His absolute authority and distinct identity from all Egyptian deities.
• hardened: (חזק - ḥāzaq). This Hebrew verb, translated "hardened," literally means "to be strong," "to make firm," or "to strengthen." In this context, when applied to a heart, it signifies making it resolute, obstinate, or stiffened against a course of action. It implies God's active reinforcing or cementing of Pharaoh's existing inclination to resist, rather than initiating resistance from scratch. Other Hebrew verbs like kābad (כבד, "make heavy/dull") and qāšâ (קשה, "make hard/stubborn") are also used for "hardening," each conveying slightly different nuances. ḥāzaq suggests an empowering or fortifying of resolve, preventing capitulation.
• Pharaoh's heart: (לֵב פַּרְעֹה - lēḇ Par‘ōh). In ancient Hebrew thought, the "heart" (lēḇ) was not merely an organ, but the seat of intellect, will, emotion, conscience, and moral character—the very core of one's being and decision-making capacity. Pharaoh's "heart" being hardened means his will and determination to resist Yahweh were reinforced and made impervious. This term reflects a deep-seated spiritual and volitional state.
• and he would not let the children of Israel go: This phrase (וְלֹא שִׁלַּח אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - wəloʾ shillaḥ ’eṯ-bənê Yisrā’ēl, "and he did not send away the sons of Israel") describes the immediate and ultimate consequence of the hardened heart. Despite the devastation and his temporary plea, Pharaoh's will was now immovably set against releasing Israel. This serves to demonstrate God's complete control over events and Pharaoh's complete subjection to God's decree. The active resistance by Pharaoh is presented as a direct outcome of God's action on his heart.

Word-Groups Analysis:

• "But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart": This clause highlights divine sovereignty. God's action of hardening is depicted as definitive, contrasting with Pharaoh's fleeting moment of yielding. This isn't coercing an innocent but reinforcing an already present disposition. Pharaoh had repeatedly hardened his own heart in earlier instances (Exo 8:15, 32; 9:34). God's hardening is a judicial act, a divine judgment upon a willful rebel, fulfilling His declared purpose to "show My power in you" (Exo 9:16).
• "and he would not let the children of Israel go": This phrase details the direct result of the divine hardening. It confirms Pharaoh's ongoing defiance and Yahweh's control over his will, ensuring that Pharaoh's capitulation would not come until God's ultimate plan of judgment and redemption was fully played out, culminating in the death of the firstborn and the Red Sea miracle. The explicit refusal underlines the absolute nature of the hardened heart.

Exodus 10 20 Bonus section

• Divine Foreknowledge and Purpose: From the outset, God declared His intention to harden Pharaoh's heart (Exo 4:21). This hardening was not arbitrary but purposeful, tied to God's plan to magnify His glory and execute judgment on Egypt for its long-standing oppression of His people.
• Polemic against Egyptian Deities: The sequence of plagues, including the locusts before this verse, specifically targeted various Egyptian gods. The locusts struck Min and Isis, gods associated with fertility and crops. By showing complete control over the harvest and even Pharaoh's will, Yahweh asserted His unique and supreme power over the Egyptian pantheon, whose purported powers proved utterly ineffectual. Pharaoh, considered a divine intermediary himself, was stripped of all divine pretense.
• Literary Emphasis: The repeated phrase of Pharaoh's heart hardening (whether by God or himself) is a significant literary and theological device in Exodus. It emphasizes God's sovereign control over the unfolding drama and reinforces the deliberate nature of the judgment process, culminating in Israel's absolute liberation through God's power.

Exodus 10 20 Commentary

Exodus 10:20 encapsulates a pivotal moment in the plagues narrative, revealing the complex interplay of divine sovereignty and human will. Immediately after the eighth plague (locusts) forces Pharaoh into a seemingly repentant state, God decisively intervenes. The verb ḥāzaq for "hardened" here signifies that God strengthened Pharaoh's inherent inclination to resist, rendering him incapable of genuinely releasing Israel. This was not a passive observation by God, but an active sealing of Pharaoh's stubbornness. Pharaoh had already shown a persistent pattern of hardening his own heart (e.g., Exod 8:15, 32; 9:34), demonstrating his prior moral culpability. God's act in verse 20 is therefore a judicial act of judgment, ensuring the full display of His glory and power. By hardening Pharaoh's heart, God orchestrated events to maximize the demonstration of His superiority over Egypt's gods and the world, guaranteeing that Israel's exodus would be seen as undeniably God's mighty deliverance, not Pharaoh's concession. This served to magnify His name among Israel and the nations.