The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible, found in the book of Exodus. When Moses and Aaron demanded that Pharaoh let the Israelites go free from their slavery in Egypt, Pharaoh repeatedly refused, leading to the 10 plagues on Egypt. A key detail in the story is that God is said to have “hardened” Pharaoh’s heart, preventing him from agreeing to Moses’ request. This raises an important theological question – if God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, how could Pharaoh be held responsible for his actions? Let’s take a detailed look at what the Bible says about this intriguing topic.
The Plagues and Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart
In Exodus 7-11, God sends 10 plagues upon Egypt to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free. Before each plague, Moses and Aaron come before Pharaoh and demand, “Let my people go!” Each time, Pharaoh refuses. Interwoven into the story is the repeated refrain that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 4:21, 7:3, 9:12, 10:20, 10:27, 11:10, 14:4). For example:
“But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.” (Exodus 9:12)
On the surface, this seems to imply that Pharaoh wanted to let the Israelites go, but God prevented him from doing so by hardening his heart. This raises questions about God’s justice and Pharaoh’s free will. After all, if God is controlling Pharaoh’s decisions, how can Pharaoh be held responsible for refusing to obey God? Let’s dig deeper into what the Bible says about this issue.
Did Pharaoh Hardened His Own Heart?
A closer examination shows Scripture is more nuanced. Alongside verses about God hardening his heart, we also read that Pharaoh hardened his own heart:
“But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.” (Exodus 8:15)
“But the king’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said.” (Exodus 7:13)
This implies Pharaoh was also responsible for his stubbornness. God did not override Pharaoh’s free will – Pharaoh hardened his own heart, resisting God’s demands. This view is confirmed by other Bible passages attributing hard-heartedness to Pharaoh himself (Exodus 8:11, 32, 9:7, 34).
God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
How do we reconcile God hardening Pharaoh’s heart with Pharaoh also being responsible? The answer requires recognizing two important biblical principles:
- God is completely sovereign over all events.
- Humans are morally responsible for their choices.
Though distinct, both are true according to Scripture. Regarding God’s sovereignty, verses like Proverbs 21:1 declare, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” Yet humans are still morally accountable, as passages like Ezekiel 18:20 state, “…the soul who sins shall die.”
Both principles apply to Pharaoh. As sovereign Lord, God controlled circumstances to fulfill His purposes, including hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Yet Pharaoh was also responsible for his stubborn defiance. Augustine described this interplay well: “God does many things which He does not show men He is doing … Yet, He does nothing which He who does it cannot do righteously.”
Why Did God Need to Harden Pharaoh’s Heart?
If Pharaoh was already defiance, why did God need to harden his heart? First, Scripture is clear God raised up Pharaoh for this very purpose:
“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: ‘I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.'” (Romans 9:17)
God allowed Pharaoh’s defiance to demonstrate His power and glorify His name. Paul mentions this event to illustrate God’s sovereignty even over defiant hearts. Second, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to bring about the full series of 10 plagues. If Pharaoh had relented sooner, God would not have displayed His full might.
The plagues were about far more than freeing Israel – they showed the impotence of Egypt’s gods compared to Yahweh. By sustaining Pharaoh’s resistance until all 10 plagues, God displayed superior power. Third, God ensured Pharaoh would oppose Moses so He could perform awesome miracles like parting the Red Sea. These miracles became etched into Israel’s collective memory of God’s supremacy.
How Did God Harden Pharaoh’s Heart?
How did God actually harden Pharaoh’s heart? The Bible does not give specifics, but we can make some educated guesses based on the situation:
- Foreknowledge – God knew Pharaoh would reject Moses’ demands.
- Confirmation – By hardening Pharaoh’s heart, God confirmed Pharaoh’s inclinations.
- Sovereignty Over Circumstances – As sovereign Lord, God directed events to solidify Pharaoh’s resistance.
- Abandonment – God abandoned Pharaoh to his own stubbornness by withdrawing His grace.
The hardening likely involved a combination of the above factors, with the emphasis on God arranging circumstances to confirm the defiance already present in Pharaoh’s heart. Regardless of the means, Scripture is unambiguous – God sovereignly directed affairs to suit His purposes, including using Pharaoh’s obstinate ways.
Why Didn’t God Simply Force Pharaoh to Obey?
If God can harden Pharaoh’s heart, why did He allow any resistance at all? Why not simply force Pharaoh to grant Moses’ request? Here are some potential reasons:
- Forced obedience is not true obedience – God desires willing submission.
- Pharaoh’s resistance highlighted God’s power when He overcame that resistance.
- The dramatic contest between Moses and Pharaoh became a defining event for Israel.
- Israel grew in faith as they watched God overcome Pharaoh’s defiance.
In His wisdom, God may have judged that working within Pharaoh’s free will choices best served His purposes, even if He could have compelled Pharaoh to obey.
Hardening Hearts: Not Just Pharaoh
Pharaoh is not the only instance of God hardening hearts. Scripture records two notable examples:
Sihon king of Heshbon – Moses sent messengers requesting passage through Sihon’s land, but God hardened his spirit and made him defiant (Deuteronomy 2:30). This led to Sihon’s defeat and Israel possessing his land.
The Israelites – Isaiah 6:9-10 describes God hardening the hearts of unbelieving Israel. Jesus later quoted this passage to explain why He spoke in parables (Matthew 13:14-15). He did so because hard hearts would not understand.
As with Pharaoh, God hardened hearts as punishment or to confirm rebellion. Regardless, it displays God’s sovereignty over the human heart.
Common Objections
Does God hardening Pharaoh’s heart make God unjust or conflict with God’s holiness? Below are answers to common objections about this topic:
Objection 1: God forced Pharaoh to disobey then punished him – isn’t this unjust?
Answer: As already discussed, Pharaoh was inclined to disobey already. God simply allowed this defiant bent to play out while arranging circumstances to glorify Himself. He did not make an unwilling Pharaoh rebel.
Objection 2: Hardening Pharaoh’s heart takes away his free will – how could God do this?
Answer: Free will does not mean God cannot achieve His purposes through human decisions. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart by aptly directing affairs around Pharaoh’s freedom, not by puppet mastery.
Objection 3: The hardening seems deceptive and coercive – doesn’t this make God unholy?
Answer: God does not tempt or coerce into evil (James 1:13). Pharaoh was already prideful and oppressive – God arranged events to manifest Pharaoh’s wicked inclinations. God is true to His holy character.
Summary Principles
Reflecting on the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart leads to the following theological principles:
- God sovereignly directs all events to fulfill His purposes.
- Humans remain morally responsible for their decisions.
- Evil exists only by God’s wise and righteous permission.
- God is perfectly just and holy in all His ways.
While challenging, God’s hardening Pharaoh’s heart offers rich insights into God’s sovereignty, justice and holiness. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), yet we can rest in His absolute goodness and wisdom.