When Pharaoh saw that there was relief, however, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
Parallel translations
- WEB But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.
- KJV But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
- NKJV But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
- NASB But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
- NLT But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had predicted.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Once relieved, Pharaoh hardens his heart and breaks his promise. His pattern of false repentance reasserts itself.
Overview
The moment the pressure lifts, Pharaoh reneges and refuses to release Israel, just as God had said. His repentance under duress proves to be no repentance at all once the threat is gone. Pharaoh embodies the deceitfulness of a heart that seeks escape from judgment but not surrender to God, a sobering contrast to the genuine, lasting repentance worked by the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Eccl 8:11When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
- Isa 26:10Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD.
- Heb 3:15As it has been said: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion.”
- Heb 3:8do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness,
- Exod 7:4Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay My hand on Egypt, and by mighty acts of judgment I will bring the divisions of My people the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
- Jer 34:7–11as the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and the remaining cities of Judah—against Lachish and Azekah. For these were the only fortified cities remaining in Judah.
- Exod 4:21The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
- Exod 7:13–14Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
- Exod 14:5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.”
- Zech 7:11–12But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing.
- Hos 6:4What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes.
- Prov 29:1A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
- Rev 16:9And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues; yet they did not repent and give Him glory.
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 8:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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