Before the plagues start, G-d tells Moshe that He (G-d) Himself will keep Pharoah from letting Israel go free from slavery.
(ג) וַאֲנִ֥י אַקְשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֧י אֶת־אֹתֹתַ֛י וְאֶת־מוֹפְתַ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(3) But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that I may multiply My signs and marvels in the land of Egypt.
What moral problem is there in G-d's words to Moshe? Why does this seem unfair? What does the term "hardening of the heart" mean? What is the Hebrew for this term?_____________________________________________________________________
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Does G-d harden Pharaoh's heart for the rest of the plagues? See below.
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Does G-d harden Pharaoh's heart for the rest of the plagues? See below.
(יג) וַיֶּחֱזַק֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה'׃ {ס}
(13) Yet Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he did not heed them, as ה' had said.
After the blood-
(כב) וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֛ן חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם בְּלָטֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה'׃
(22) But when the Egyptian magician-priests did the same with their spells, Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he did not heed them—as ה' had spoken.
After the frogs-
(יא) וַיַּ֣רְא פַּרְעֹ֗ה כִּ֤י הָֽיְתָה֙ הָֽרְוָחָ֔ה וְהַכְבֵּד֙ אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה'׃ {ס}
(11) But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he became stubborn and would not heed them, as ה' had spoken.
After the lice-
(כח) וַיַּכְבֵּ֤ד פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ גַּ֖ם בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֑את וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ {פ}
(28) But Pharaoh became stubborn this time also, and would not let the people go.
(טו) וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּם֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה אֶצְבַּ֥ע אֱלֹקִ֖ים הִ֑וא וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה'׃ {ס}
(15) and the magician-priests said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he would not heed them, as ה' had spoken.
After the wild beasts (or insects)-
(ז) וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֗ה לֹא־מֵ֛ת מִמִּקְנֵ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־אֶחָ֑ד וַיִּכְבַּד֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ {פ}
(7) When Pharaoh inquired, he found that not a head of the livestock of Israel had died; yet Pharaoh remained stubborn, and he would not let the people go.
But notice what happens after the next plagues (boils).
(יב) וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק ה' אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {ס}
(12) But ה' stiffened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not heed them, just as ה' had told Moses.
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ֙ וְאֶת־לֵ֣ב עֲבָדָ֔יו לְמַ֗עַן שִׁתִ֛י אֹתֹתַ֥י אֵ֖לֶּה בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃
(1) Then ה' said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his courtiers, in order that I may display these My signs among them,
(כ) וַיְחַזֵּ֥ק ה' אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְלֹ֥א שִׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
(20) But ה' stiffened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.
(כז) וַיְחַזֵּ֥ק ה' אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לְשַׁלְּחָֽם׃
(27) But ה' stiffened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not agree to let them go.