But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; 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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 8:11Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
- Isa 26:10Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
- Heb 3:15While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
- Heb 3:8Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
- Exod 7:4But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
- Jer 34:7–11When the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.
- Exod 4:21And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
- Exod 7:13–14And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
- Exod 14:5And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
- Zech 7:11–12But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
- Hos 6:4O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.
- Prov 29:1He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
- Rev 16:9And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to 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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