~ This is what we know about this current Pharaoh.
~ What can you tell about him, according to the Torah?
~ What do you imagine the job of Pharaoh to be?
~ What does Pharaoh do to his people, in these two sources? What doe he do to his people in the general arc of the Exodus story?

Traditionally crossed over the chest when held, they probably represented the ruler as a shepherd whose beneficence is formidably tempered with might.
In the interpretation of Toby Wilkinson, the flail used to goad livestock, was a symbol of the ruler's coercive power: as shepherd of his flock, the ruler encouraged his subjects as well as restrained them.
Two basic assumptions of Egyptian theology:
1. The ma’at is the Egyptian concept and personification of truth, justice, social order, harmony, political success and natural fertility. Ma’at is constantly threatened by isfet (disorder, injustice, etc), and it is Pharaoh’s role to dispel isfet in order to give room to ma’at. Everything contained in ma'at is dependent on Pharaoh and his permanent communication with the divine world. Pharaoh, himself a god, was seen the son of the supreme deity and given the name, “son of Ra,” and thus was the corporeal link between heaven and earth. This means: no justice, truth, or harmony is possible on earth without Pharaoh.
2. The ancient Egyptians assumed that the world is permanently threatened by collapse and its continuance is dependent on ritual action. This means: ritual - and only ritual - is what maintains the universe's balance.
[read more, including Egyptian sources, here: https://www.thetorah.com/article/pharaohs-divine-role-in-maintaining-maat-order]

A statuette of Pharaoh offering Maat. Long attributed to Seti I (19th Dynasty), one dating to the 21st dynasty now appears more likely. Louvre. France. Photo by Guillaume Blanchard. wikimedia
(18) They will listen to you; then you shall go with the elders of Israel to the king of Egypt and you shall say to him, ‘Ad-nai, the God of the Hebrews, became manifest to us. Now therefore, let us go a distance of three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to our God ה׳.’ (19) Yet I know that the king of Egypt will let you go only because of a greater might. (20) So I will stretch out My hand and smite Egypt with various wonders which I will work upon them; after that he shall let you go. (21) And I will dispose the Egyptians favorably toward this people, so that when you go, you will not go away empty-handed. (22) Each woman shall borrow from her neighbor and the lodger in her house objects of silver and gold, and clothing, and you shall put these on your sons and daughters, thus stripping the Egyptians.”
~ What is God letting Moshe know, already at the burning bush?
~ What other "hearts" is God going to take care of?
(21) And ה׳ said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the marvels that I have put within your power. I, however, will stiffen his heart so that he will not let the people go. (22) Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says ה׳: Israel is My first-born son. (23) I have said to you, “Let My son go, that he may worship Me,” yet you refuse to let him go. Now I will slay your first-born son.’”
~ This is still at the burning bush.
~ What is the main message of God to Moshe in these verses? Of God to Pharaoh?
~ Given the two sources before (at the burning bush) what is problematic about Moshe's reaction?
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה רְאֵ֛ה נְתַתִּ֥יךָ אֱלֹקִ֖ים לְפַרְעֹ֑ה וְאַהֲרֹ֥ן אָחִ֖יךָ יִהְיֶ֥ה נְבִיאֶֽךָ׃ (ב) אַתָּ֣ה תְדַבֵּ֔ר אֵ֖ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲצַוֶּ֑ךָּ וְאַהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֙יךָ֙ יְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְשִׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאַרְצֽוֹ׃ (ג) וַאֲנִ֥י אַקְשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֧י אֶת־אֹתֹתַ֛י וְאֶת־מוֹפְתַ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (ד) וְלֹֽא־יִשְׁמַ֤ע אֲלֵכֶם֙ פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְנָתַתִּ֥י אֶת־יָדִ֖י בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְהוֹצֵאתִ֨י אֶת־צִבְאֹתַ֜י אֶת־עַמִּ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בִּשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים׃ (ה) וְיָדְע֤וּ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י ה׳ בִּנְטֹתִ֥י אֶת־יָדִ֖י עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהוֹצֵאתִ֥י אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִתּוֹכָֽם׃ (ו) וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֑ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה ה׳ אֹתָ֖ם כֵּ֥ן עָשֽׂוּ׃
(27) It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt to free the Israelites from the Egyptians; these are the same Moses and Aaron. (28) For when ה׳ spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt (29) and ה׳ said to Moses, “I am ה׳; speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I will tell you,” (30) Moses appealed to ה׳, saying, “See, I am of uncircumcised lips how then should Pharaoh heed me!” (1) ה׳ replied to Moses, “See, I place you in the role of God to Pharaoh, with your brother Aaron as your prophet. (2) You shall repeat all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh to let the Israelites depart from his land. (3) But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that I may multiply My signs and marvels in the land of Egypt. (4) When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will lay My hand upon Egypt and deliver My ranks, My people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with extraordinary chastisements. (5) And the Egyptians shall know that I am ה׳, when I stretch out My hand over Egypt and bring out the Israelites from their midst.” (6) This Moses and Aaron did; as ה׳ commanded them, so they did.
~ What seems to be one of the reasons for the plagues?
~ Can you think of another reason, not in this source?
Traditional answers for the question of Pharaoh's heart
(1) ואני אקשה AND I WILL ALLOW [PHARAOH’S HEART] TO HARDEN — Since he has wickedly resisted Me, and it is manifest to Me that the heathen nations find no spiritual satisfaction in setting their whole heart to return to Me penitently, it is better that his heart should be hardened in order that My signs may be multiplied against him so that you all may recognize My divine power. Such, indeed, is the method of the Holy One, blessed be He: He brings punishment upon the nations so that Israel may hear of it and fear Him, as it is said, (Zephaniah 3:6, 3:7) “I have cut off nations, their corners are desolate etc. … I said: Surely thou wilt fear Me, thou wilt receive correction” (cf. Yevamot 63a). Nevertheless, in the case of the first five plagues it is not stated, “The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart” but “Pharaoh’s heart hardened” (Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 3).
~ What is Rashi's main idea regarding Pharaoh's heart?
~ What does he point out, at the end?
AND I WILL GIVE. The Egyptians’ appeasing of the Israelites by imploring them to ask for jewels and raiments (which is the meaning of va-yashilum) was also a great wonder. This is the opposite of the regular behavior of the world’s inhabitants.
~ Ibn Ezra seems to have no problem with God changing people's actions. He is just pointing out that God can do that.
AND I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART. The question arises: “If God hardened Pharaoh’s heart what was his transgression and what was his sin?” The answer is: God granted wisdom to man and implanted in his heart the intelligence to receive power from on high to add to his good or to diminish his evil. ... Now the meaning of our verse is: I will harden his heart in order to multiply My signs and My wonders. Rabbi Joshua says that its meaning is: I will harden his heart so that he will be able to bear the plagues. However, he spoke incorrectly.
~ What is Ibn Ezra's understanding of God hardening Pharaoh's heart?
~ What position does he disagree with, and why?
וְהִנֵּה פֵּרְשׁוּ בַּשְּׁאֵלָה אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאֲלוּ הַכֹּל, אִם הַשֵּׁם הִקְשָׁה אֶת לִבּוֹ מַה פִּשְׁעוֹ, וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ שְׁנֵי טְעָמִים וּשְׁנֵיהֶם אֱמֶת, הָאֶחָד, כִּי פַּרְעֹה בְּרִשְׁעוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל רָעוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת חִנָּם, נִתְחַיֵּב לִמְנֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ דַּרְכֵי תְשׁוּבָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ בָּזֶה פְּסוּקִים רַבִּים בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַכְּתוּבִים, וּלְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נִדּוֹן. וְהַטַּעַם הַשֵּׁנִי, כִּי הָיוּ חֲצִי הַמַּכּוֹת עָלָיו בְּפִשְׁעוֹ, כִּי לֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶן רַק "וַיֶּחֱזַק לֵב פַּרְעֹה" (להלן פסוק יג, כב, ח טו), "וַיַּכְבֵּד פַּרְעֹה אֶת לִבּוֹ" (להלן ח כח, ט ז). הִנֵּה לֹא רָצָה לְשַׁלְּחָם לִכְבוֹד הַשֵּׁם, אֲבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר גָּבְרוּ הַמַּכּוֹת עָלָיו וְנִלְאָה לִסְבֹּל אוֹתָם, רַךְ לִבּוֹ וְהָיָה נִמְלָךְ לְשַׁלְּחָם מִכֹּבֶד הַמַּכּוֹת, לֹא לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן בּוֹרְאוֹ. וְאָז הִקְשָׁה הַשֵּׁם אֶת רוּחוֹ וְאִמֵּץ אֶת לְבָבוֹ לְמַעַן סַפֵּר שְׁמוֹ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב "וְהִתְגַּדִּלְתִּי וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתִּי וְנוֹדַעְתִּי לְעֵינֵי גּוֹיִם רַבִּים" וְגוֹ' (יחזקאל לח כג):
וַאֲשֶׁר אָמַר קֹדֶם הַמַּכּוֹת (שמות ד':כ"א) "וַאֲנִי אֲחַזֵּק אֶת לִבּוֹ וְלֹא יְשַׁלַּח אֶת הָעָם", יוֹדִיעַ לְמֹשֶׁה הֶעָתִיד לֵעָשׂוֹת בּוֹ בַּמַּכּוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר (שמות ג':י"ט) "וַאֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי לֹא יִתֵּן אֶתְכֶם מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַהֲלֹךְ", וְזֶה טַעַם "וַאֲנִי אַקְשֶׁה אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת אֹתֹתַי", כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁאַקְשֶׁה לִבּוֹ לְמַעַן רְבוֹת מוֹפְתַי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. כִּי בְּחָמֵשׁ מַכּוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת גַּם בִּטְבִיעַת הַיָּם נֶאֱמַר "וַיְחַזֵּק ה׳" (שמות י"ד:ח'), כִּי "לֶב מֶלֶךְ בְּיַד ה׳ עַל כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ יַטֶּנּוּ" (משלי כא א):
(1) AND I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART. The Rabbis said in Midrash Rabbah:94Shemoth Rabbah 5:6. “G-d revealed to Moses that He was destined to harden Pharaoh’s heart in order to bring judgment upon him for he caused them to work in cruel bondage.” It is also stated there [in Midrash Rabbah]:95Ibid., 13:4. “For I have hardened his heart.96Further, 10:1. Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘This provides a pretext for the heretics to say that G-d did not allow Pharaoh to repent.’ Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, ‘The mouths of the heretics be closed! Only, if it concerneth the scorners, He scorneth them.97Proverbs 3:34. When He warns one on three occasions and he does not turn from his ways, He closes the door of repentance on him in order to punish him for his sin. Such was the case with wicked Pharaoh. After the Holy One, blessed be He, sent him five times98“In the case of the first five plagues, it is not stated, ‘The Eternal hardened Pharaoh’s heart,’ but ‘Pharaoh’s heart hardened’” (Rashi). That is, it was hardened by his own stubbornness. [the request to let His people go] and he paid no attention to His words, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have stiffened your neck and hardened your heart; I will double your defilement.’”99Literally: “I will add defilement to your defilement.”
The Rabbis [in the above Midrash] have thus discussed the question which all ask:100See Ibn Ezra here, and Rambam in his Shemonah Perakim, Chapter 8, and in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Teshubah 6:3, where this problem is discussed. “If G-d hardened his heart, what then was Pharaoh’s sin?” For this there are two explanations, and both of them are true. One is that Pharaoh in his wickedness had unjustifiably perpetrated such great evils against Israel that justice required that the ways of repentance be withheld from him, as is so indicated in many places in the Torah and in the Writings.101See Rambam in Mishneh Torah, ibid., where he quotes from the Prophets and Writings to substantiate this point. He was judged according to his wickedness which he had originally committed of his own will. The second explanation is that half of the plagues came upon him because of his transgressions, for in connection with them it is only said: And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened;102Further, Verses 13 and 22, and 8:15. And Pharaoh hardened his heart.103Ibid., 8:28 and 9:7. Thus Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel go for the glory of G-d. But when the plagues began bearing down upon him and he became weary to suffer them, his heart softened and he bethought himself to send them out on account of the onslaught of the plagues, not in order to do the will of his Creator. Then G-d hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate,104Deuteronomy 2:30. so that His name may be declared [throughout all the earth].105Further, 9:16. Similar in meaning is the verse, Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Eternal.106Ezekiel 38:23. And that which He said before the plagues, And I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go,107Above, 4:21. was merely His warning to Moses of that which He was destined to do to Pharaoh in the last [five] plagues, it being similar to that which He said, And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go.108Ibid., 3:18. This then is the meaning of the verse [before us], And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs. That is to say, “I will harden his heart so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt,”109Further, 11:9. since in the last five plagues, as well as at the drowning in the sea, it is said, And the Eternal hardened the heart of Pharaoh,110Ibid., 14:8. for the king’s heart is in the hand of the Eternal; He turneth it whithersoever He will.111Proverbs 21:1.
~ What is Nachmanides's position regarding the hardening of Pharaoh's heart?
A person may commit a great sin or many sins causing the judgment rendered before the True Judge to be that the retribution [administered to] this transgressor for these sins which he willfully and consciously committed is that his Teshuvah will be held back. He will not be allowed the chance to repent from his wickedness so that he will die and be wiped out because of the sin he committed.
This is implied by the Holy One, blessed be He's statement [related] by Isaiah [6:10]: “Make the heart of this people fat [and make their ears heavy. Smear over their eyes, lest they see with their eyes... understand with their hearts, repent and be healed].”
Similarly, [II Chronicles 36:16] states “ They mocked the messengers of God, scorned His words, scoffed at His prophets until the anger of God mounted up against His people until there was no remedy.”
Implied [by these verses] is that they willingly sinned, multiplying their iniquity until it was obliged to hold back their Teshuvah, [which is referred to as] the "remedy."
For these reasons, it is written in the Torah [Exodus 4:21], "I will harden Pharaoh's heart." Since, he began to sin on his own initiative and caused hardships to the Israelites who dwelled in his land as [Exodus 1:10] states: "Come, let us deal wisely with them," judgment obligated that he be prevented from repenting so that he would suffer retribution. Therefore, The Holy One, blessed be He, hardened his heart.
Why did [God] send Moses to [Pharaoh], telling him: “Send [forth the people], repent”? The Holy One, blessed be He, had already told Moses that he would not release [the people], as [Exodus 9:30] states: “I realize that you and your subjects [still do not fear God].”
[The reason is stated in Exodus 9:16:] “For this alone, I have preserved you… so that My name will be spoken about throughout the earth],” i.e., to make known to all the inhabitants of the world that when the Holy One, blessed be He, withholds repentance from a sinner, he cannot repent, but he will die in the wickedness that he initially committed willfully.
Similarly, Sichon was held liable for repentance to be withheld from him, because of the sins he committed, as [Deuteronomy 2:30] states: “God, your Lord, hardened his spirit and strengthened his heart.”
Also, the Canaanites held back from repenting, because of their abominable acts, so that they would wage war against Israel as [Joshua 11:20] states: "This was inspired by God, to harden their hearts so that they should come against Israel in battle in order to utterly destroy them."
Similarly, the Israelites during the era of Elijah committed many iniquities. Repentance was held back from those who committed these many sins, as [I Kings 18:37] states: "You have turned their heart backwards," i.e., held repentance back from them.
In conclusion, the Almighty did not decree that Pharaoh should harm the Israelites, or that Sichon should sin in his land, or that the Canaanites should perform abominable acts, or that the Israelites should worship idols. They all sinned on their own initiative and they were obligated to have Teshuvah held back from them.
~ What is Maimonides solution for the question of Pharaoh's heart?
~ Is Pharaoh's case unique, according to Maimonides?
~ Can you imagine sins/transgressions/misdeeds so great that the process of teshuvah is impossible?
The Ramban's approach that, having refused to repent during the first five plagues, Pharaoh was no longer entitled to repentance, is also not satisfactory... The problem with this approach is that if G-d knows that the sinner does not plan to repent, why interfere with his decisions? His actions would automatically expose him to further punitive action by G-d. Surely it would be viewed as a greater success for G-d if His creatures are forced by circumstances to comply with His wishes! If this is indeed what happened after the tenth plague, what reason do we have to assume that Pharaoh's last pronouncement was any more sincere than his earlier ones? In fact, G-d would have delayed the deliverance of the Israelites by having interfered with Pharaoh's free will! Clearly that there had been no interference with Pharaoh's free will. Any person guilty of a variety of crimes, deserves a number of penalties to square the account. Even a single act can receive multiple offenses, and be punishable by several penalties. Pharaoh, having committed a variety of crimes against the Jewish people, had to endure a string of chastisements. Intervals between administering these various punishments were needed, so that he did not escape the impact by being unconscious at the time some of the punishments were inflicted. When each stage of the punishment is not as severe as it could be, the victim is far less likely to really repent. The major incentive for repentance is fear and terror. When this incentive is absent, the psychological climate for remorse has not been created. When the Torah in Deut 13:12 says, "All of Israel shall listen and be afraid, and will not continue to do such in your midst," the objective is twofold: a) destruction of evil by destroying the perpetrator; b) to frighten the population out of imitating the wrongdoer. Were the wrongdoer to be welcomed as a repentant sinner, all the onlookers would lose all their restraint and proceed to sin and expect to escape the consequences. This is the reason Moses’s and Aaron's repentance did not help when they had publicly desecrated G-d’s name by striking the rock instead of talking to it (Numbers 20,12). Our sages (Yuma 86) tell us that when a sin includes chilul hashem, public desecration of the holy name of G-d, all the conventional ways of repentance do not help without the addition of the sinner's death. Only in this manner can atonement become complete. In Pharaoh's case, a period of respite between the plagues was mandatory, as otherwise he would not have received all the chastisements due him. The crimes of maltreating a people whose founder had been the savior of Egypt and whose only crime against Egypt had been their high birthrate, is unforgivable. The progressively harsher measures enacted against this people called for strong punitive action by G-d. The "great judgments" of which G-d speaks to Moses at the burning bush are these acts of multiple retribution. The Egyptians had been aware that the Jewish people were loyal to their G-d. Their whole behavior then was a rebellion against G-d, and as such it was not likely to lead to repentance. Since it was G-d’s stated purpose to convince the Egyptians that He was (1) a deity, (2) a power controlling the earth, and (3) a deity the like of which did not exist on the whole earth, the torture visited upon Egypt had to be staggered in such a way as to allow the Egyptians to recover from blow after blow and to absorb their lesson in the end. All the references made in the Torah to G-d hardening the heart of Pharaoh etc. have to be understood as the recovery Pharaoh was allowed to make between the plagues, so he could be made to feel the full impact of the next installment. The Talmud in Makkot 10 produces proof from all parts of the Bible that the path in life a person wishes to take he is allowed to travel, i.e. freedom of choice is absolute. An example is the prophet Bileam who was first told by G-d not to accompany the messengers of Balak, but who, once it had become clear that he had made up his mind to go with them, was permitted to proceed (Numbers 22,12-20). The reference of Avshalom preferring the advice of Chushai, (Samuel II 17,14) is another such example. The classic example would be the deliberate turnabout by the Jewish people in the desert when facing Baal Tzefon (Exodus 14,1-3). All these examples illustrate that G-d does indeed provide opportunities for sinners to err, to draw false conclusions which will enmesh them in further difficulties. At the sea of reeds also the Egyptians chose to interpret that a twelve hour wind that had dried out the bed of the sea was a natural phenomenon and that the bottom of the sea was as safe for them as it had proved to be for the Israelites. It was in this indirect manner that G-d encouraged the Egyptians to fall into the trap He had set for them.
Modern takes

Above: The weighing of the heart in the from the Book of the Dead of Ani (ca. 1300 B.C.E.). The heart is on the left scale; the feather of maʾat on the right. The god Anubis sets up the scales, while Ani’s soul (ba) looks on in the form of a bird. On the right, the god Thoth records his judgment while the monster Amenti watches for the heart to drop below the feather so he can consume it. British Library, 2001.
" ...even the proper preparation for death—mummification, food offerings, and a tomb—would not be enough to ensure an afterlife; only those judged by Thoth to be innocent were permitted to enter the afterlife in one piece. Mummification, therefore, was an optimistic statement about the person’s worthiness to live on after death. This, egyptologist Jan Assmann argues, is part of the dual meaning for the Egyptian term sʿḥ which means both “mummy” and “worthy.”"
"The phrase “heavy heart” is thus meant to be understood on two levels: on a simple level, it means stubborn, but to those more cosmopolitan readers familiar with the Egyptian idiom, it was a clear allusion to Pharaoh’s sinfulness."
" Saying that Pharaoh’s heart was heavy was akin to saying that he was not “worthy” of an afterlife, a terrible curse for an Egyptian. A heavy heart was believed to bring destruction to its owner. Thus, from an Egyptian perspective, God’s control of Pharaoh’s heart—to the point that He manipulates Pharaoh—causes him to deviate from Maat. " [ Shalomi-Hen (Koren Tanakh: Exodus, 41) ]
The documentary hypothesis
Using the techniques of source criticism and redaction criticism, some modern scholars propose that four sources (or traditions) contributed to the five books of the Torah. These sources are the following:
the Yahwist (abbreviated J from the German word for Yahwist)
the Elohist (abbreviated E)
the Deuteronomist (abbreviated D)
the Priestly (abbreviated P)
The story of the Ten Plagues in the Book of Exodus is believed to contain elements from each of these sources, meaning that each plague may have different reasons and explanations according to its source.
Event |
Heart |
Verbiage used |
Document |
Burning bush |
I, however, will stiffen his heart |
וַאֲנִי֙ אֲחַזֵּ֣ק אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ |
Redactor |
But I will make Pharaoh’s heart difficult |
וַאֲנִ֥י אַקְשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה |
(Redactor?) or P |
|
Staff to serpent |
Pharaoh’s heart stiffened |
וַיֶּחֱזַק֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה |
P |
H’ said to Moses: Pharaoh’s heart is heavy |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה׳ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כָּבֵ֖ד לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה |
J |
|
Blood |
Pharaoh’s heart stiffened |
וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֙ |
P |
Pharaoh did not turn his heart (pay attention) |
וְלֹא־שָׁ֥ת לִבּ֖וֹ |
J |
|
Frogs |
he made his heart heavy |
וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת לִבּוֹ |
J |
Lice |
Pharaoh’s heart stiffened |
וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֙ |
P |
Swarms (of animals) |
But Pharaoh made his heart heavy |
וַיַּכְבֵּד פַּרְעֹה אֶת לִבּוֹ |
J |
Cattle disease |
yet Pharaoh made his heart heavy |
וַיִּכְבַּד לֵב פַּרְעֹה |
J |
Boils |
H’ strengthened Pharaoh’s heart, and his servants’ |
וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק ה׳ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָֽיו |
P |
Hail |
he made his heart heavy |
וַיַּכְבֵּד לִבּוֹ |
J |
Pharaoh’s heart stiffened, as H’ had spoken |
וַֽיֶּחֱזַק֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה... כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה׳ |
Redactor (or P?) |
|
Locusts |
For I have made his heart heavy, and the hearts of his courtiers |
כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ֙ וְאֶת־לֵ֣ב עֲבָדָ֔יו |
E |
But ה׳ stiffened Pharaoh’s heart |
וַיְחַזֵּ֥ק ה׳ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה |
Redactor |
|
Darkness |
But ה׳ stiffened Pharaoh’s heart |
וַיְחַזֵּ֥ק ה׳ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה |
Redactor |
Death of Firstborn |
But ה׳ stiffened Pharaoh’s heart |
וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק ה׳ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה |
Redactor |
Running at the sea |
But I will strengthen Pharaoh’s heart |
וְחִזַּקְתִּ֣י אֶת־לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֮ |
P |
Pharaoh and his courtiers had a change of heart |
וַ֠יֵּהָפֵ֠ךְ לְבַ֨ב פַּרְעֹ֤ה וַעֲבָדָיו֙ |
E |
|
But ה׳ stiffened Pharaoh’s heart |
וַיְחַזֵּ֣ק ה׳ אֶת־לֵ֤ב פַּרְעֹה֙ |
P |
|
I am strengthening the hearts of the Egyptians |
וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִ֤י מְחַזֵּק֙ אֶת־לֵ֣ב מִצְרַ֔יִם |
P (or Redactor?) |
~ This table is made with Friedman, The Bible With Sources Revealed, plus the following articles:
Weighing Pharaoh’s Heavy Heart - Rabbi Daniel M. Zucker
https://www.thetorah.com/article/weighing-pharaohs-heavy-heart
Taking Control of the Story: God Hardens Pharaoh’s Heart - Prof. Rabbi David Frankel
https://www.thetorah.com/article/taking-control-of-the-story-god-hardens-pharaohs-heart
When Pharaoh’s Stubbornness Caught God by Surprise - Prof. Rabbi David Frankel
https://www.thetorah.com/article/when-pharaohs-stubbornness-caught-god-by-surprise
Rabbi Dr. Daniel Zucker:
"A later redactor introduced the idea that YHWH is the cause of Pharaoh’s stubbornness and used it to reframe the entire story. This redactor reused the idiom of Pharaoh’s heavy heart in such a way as to nullify the implication of his guilt:
שמות י:א וַיֹּאמֶר יְ־הוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ וְאֶת לֵב עֲבָדָיו לְמַעַן שִׁתִי אֹתֹתַי אֵלֶּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ.
Exod 10:1 "Then YHWH said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have made his heart heavy and the hearts of his courtiers, in order that I may display these My signs among them."
By applying the concept of YHWH’s control to this idiom, the term “heavy heart” lost its original meaning of sinfulness. Nevertheless, looking at J itself, we can recapture the point: Pharaoh will be judged not only by YHWH but by the scales of the Egyptian Thoth as well, and will be found wanting by both.
~ This is a summary of the Akeidat Itzchak's position (not a direct translation). What is it?