Exodus 7:23 kjv

And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.

Exodus 7:23 nkjv

And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by this.

Exodus 7:23 niv

Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart.

Exodus 7:23 esv

Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart.

Exodus 7:23 nlt

Pharaoh returned to his palace and put the whole thing out of his mind.

Exodus 7 verses

Exodus 7 23 Meaning

Exodus 7:23 states that after the miraculous transformation of the Nile water into blood, Pharaoh "turned and went into his house, neither did he take this to heart." This verse highlights Pharaoh's immediate, defiant dismissal of the divine judgment and clear sign. Despite witnessing a powerful display of God's sovereignty over an essential aspect of Egyptian life and worship (the Nile river god, Hapi), he chose deliberate indifference and hardened his heart, refusing to consider the profound implications of what had just occurred or the words spoken by Moses and Aaron. His action signifies a profound spiritual blindness and stubborn rejection of God's truth.

Exodus 7 23 Context

Exodus chapter 7 marks the direct beginning of the confrontations between God (represented by Moses and Aaron) and Pharaoh. After preliminary signs for Pharaoh's court (Aaron's staff turning into a serpent, which Pharaoh's magicians could imitate, Exodus 7:10-12), the Lord directly instructs Moses and Aaron to begin the first of ten devastating plagues. This first plague turns all the water in Egypt, especially the Nile, into blood. The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt and worshipped as the god Hapi, symbolizing fertility and prosperity. By transforming the Nile into putrid blood, God directly assaulted Egypt's foundational life source and publicly shamed its revered deity. Verses 7:19-21 describe the shocking and comprehensive nature of this plague, impacting not only the river but all bodies of water and leading to the death of fish and the inability of Egyptians to drink the water. Immediately following this immense divine display, Exodus 7:23 provides Pharaoh's utterly dismissive reaction. He witnessed an unprecedented catastrophe that should have instilled fear and compelled obedience, yet he simply returned home, remaining impervious to the powerful demonstration of Yahweh's authority over the very fabric of Egyptian existence and religion. This hardened response sets the stage for the escalating conflict, demonstrating that only progressively more severe judgments would confront Pharaoh's stubborn will.

Exodus 7 23 Word analysis

• וַיִּפֶן (vayyifen): "and he turned." From the root פָּנָה (panah), meaning "to turn, to face, to direct oneself." While it can denote a simple physical movement, in this context, after witnessing a divine act, it carries the nuance of turning away from the scene, from the evidence, from the confrontation. It implies a disengagement, a rejection of continued observation or reflection on the miracle.
• וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ (vayyelekh el-beitow): "and he went into his house." The root הָלַךְ (halakh) means "to go, walk." "Beito" (his house) signifies his personal residence, perhaps the palace. This act underscores his desire to withdraw from the public spectacle and the challenge to his authority. Going home represents a retreat into his private world, where he perhaps felt more in control, away from the demanding presence of Moses and Aaron and the uncomfortable reality of God's power. It highlights a preference for his own perceived security over confronting uncomfortable truths.
• וְלֹא־שָׁת לִבּוֹ (ve-lo-sheth libo): "and did not take [it] to heart." This is a crucial idiomatic expression. The verb שָׁת (shat) or שִׂים (sim) means "to put, to place, to set." לִבּוֹ (libbo) refers to "his heart." In Hebrew thought, the "heart" (lev) is not merely the seat of emotion, but the center of the intellect, will, reason, and moral choice. To "set one's heart" (שים לב / shîm lev) means to give serious consideration, to pay careful attention, to reflect deeply, to internalize, to resolve, or to apply one's mind. Therefore, "did not take to heart" means he did not genuinely ponder, evaluate, or respond appropriately to the overwhelming evidence. It signifies a profound lack of spiritual discernment, an intentional hardening against conviction, and an unwillingness to let the truth penetrate and influence his actions or beliefs.
• גַּם־לָזֹאת (gam-lazot): "even to this" or "this also." "Gam" means "also" or "even." "Lazot" (lamed-zot) means "to this." This phrase emphasizes the depth of Pharaoh's obstinacy. Despite this specific powerful and destructive plague, which affected his entire kingdom and mocked his gods, his heart remained untouched. It highlights the extreme nature of his resistance, demonstrating that no evidence, no matter how profound, would move him from his defiant stance without divine intervention or more severe judgment.

Words-group Analysis:

• "turned and went into his house": This phrase paints a picture of deliberate dismissal. Instead of engaging with Moses, demanding explanations, or showing concern for his suffering people, Pharaoh simply disengages. It's a gesture of arrogance and contempt, demonstrating his immediate instinct to ignore the message and retreat into his own domain, as if the supernatural event was inconsequential or beneath his attention. This withdrawal underscores his pride and refusal to acknowledge a power greater than his own.
• "neither did he take this to heart": This is the ultimate spiritual assessment of Pharaoh's character at this point. It signifies far more than simple negligence; it's an active decision of the will not to be swayed, not to learn, and not to repent. Despite witnessing a miracle, the suffering of his people, and the direct challenge to Egypt's pantheon, his innermost being remained closed off to God's clear revelation. This spiritual insensitivity is the foundation of his ongoing defiance and foreshadows the further hardening of his heart, which will ultimately lead to Egypt's destruction and Israel's liberation.

Exodus 7 23 Bonus section

Pharaoh's reaction in Exod 7:23 demonstrates a direct polemic against the Egyptian view of Pharaoh as a divine intermediary or a god himself. A human king, presumed to be divine or chosen by the gods, should theoretically be intimately connected to the welfare of his land and capable of interceding with the gods or rectifying the situation. Pharaoh's helpless inability to reverse the plague, coupled with his immediate retreat and refusal to "take it to heart," underscores his impotence in the face of Yahweh's power. It shows that he is not a god, nor does he truly control the fate of his land or even his own heart. The repeated hardening of Pharaoh's heart throughout the narrative, both by his own will and by God's hand, serves to magnify the Lord's omnipotence and omnibenevolence towards His chosen people. This also provides an important biblical theme: knowledge of God requires more than just empirical evidence; it requires a willingness of the heart to perceive and submit to truth.

Exodus 7 23 Commentary

Exodus 7:23 offers a concise, yet profound, theological statement about human resistance to God. Following the dramatic demonstration of the first plague, Pharaoh's response is presented not as confusion or fear, but as immediate and resolute indifference. His physical withdrawal into his "house" parallels a spiritual withdrawal from acknowledging divine power. The core of the verse, "neither did he take this to heart," unveils Pharaoh's most damning quality: a spiritual obduracy that went beyond mere stubbornness to a deliberate refusal to reflect, discern, or be impacted by God's truth. This refusal was a conscious choice of the will and intellect (the "heart" in biblical terms).

This initial response establishes a crucial pattern for the entire plague narrative. Pharaoh’s ability to remain unmoved despite such overwhelming evidence is critical to God’s plan. It illustrates that even the most spectacular display of divine power does not inherently lead to repentance in a heart that chooses to remain hardened. His defiant dismissal meant that softer appeals or singular miraculous displays would be insufficient. Therefore, God would progressively intensify the plagues, each designed not just to punish, but to demonstrate Yahweh's absolute supremacy over every aspect of Egyptian life, nature, and the false gods they worshipped, including Pharaoh himself, who was considered a god-king. Pharaoh's hardened heart, a combination of his own free will and God's sovereign hand preparing him for judgment, serves God's ultimate purpose: to magnify His glory throughout the earth and ensure the ultimate liberation of His people. This verse is a sober reminder that pride and spiritual blindness can lead individuals to reject unmistakable divine intervention, preparing them for the greater judgments that follow.