Exodus 9:7

 Exodus 9:7

And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

a. ASV: And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he did not let the people go. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: And Pharaoh sendeth, and lo, not even one of the cattle of Israel hath died, and the heart of Pharaoh is hard, and he hath not sent the people away. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified:   [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: Pharaoh sent and behold, of the livestock of the Children of Israel not even one had died--yet Pharaoh’s heart became stubborn and he did not send out the people. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

e. NLT: Pharaoh sent his officials to investigate, and they discovered that the Israelites had not lost a single animal! But even so, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn, and he still refused to let the people go. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

1. “And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead…”

a. [And] Pharaoh [Strong: 6547 Parʻôh, par-o'; of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings:—Pharaoh.]

b. sent [Strong: 7971 shâlach, shaw-lakh'; a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):—× any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).]

c. [and] behold [Strong: 2009 hinnêh, hin-nay'; prolongation for H2005; lo!:—behold, lo, see.]

d. [there was] not [Strong: 3808 lôʼ, lo; or לוֹא lôwʼ; or לֹה lôh; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; + not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles:—× before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

e. one [Strong: 259 ʼechâd, ekh-awd'; a numeral from H258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first:—a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), eleven, every, few, first, highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,]

f. cattle [Strong: 4735 miqneh, mik-neh'; from H7069; something bought, i.e. property, but only live stock; abstractly, acquisition:—cattle, flock, herd, possession, purchase, substance.]

g. [of the] Israelites [Strong: 3478 Yisrâʼêl, yis-raw-ale'; from H8280 and H410; he will rule as God; Jisraël, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:—Israel.]

h. dead [Strong: 4191 mûwth, mooth; a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill:—× at all, × crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), × must needs, slay, × surely, × very suddenly, × in (no) wise.]

1). These were the wonders that the LORD did in the land of Egypt. They were the gifts of the Spirit being demonstrated in the Old Testament.

a). Exodus 3:20  And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

b). Concerning Spiritual Gifts, Kenneth Hagin:  The working of miracles, then, is a specific act such as dividing a stream by the sweep of a mantle…Elijah received his mantle and smote the Jordan River. Dividing the waters by a sweep of his mantle was actually working a miracle. That was in intervention in the ordinary course of nature. In the realm of healing, many times miracles are received, but they are not working of miracles, they are healing miracles. Everything that God does is miraculous in a sense, but it is not like turning common dust into insects just by a gesture. It is not like turning common water into wine just by speaking a word, that is the working of miracles. Water turned into wine by the process of nature is a natural miracle. But water turned into wine by speaking a word, as Jesus did in John 2:1-11, is the meaning of the spiritual gift of the working of miracles. A miracle, therefore, is a supernatural intervention in the ordinary course of nature, a temporary suspension of the accustomed order, an interruption of the system of nature as we know it operated by the force of the Spirit. This gift was more prominent in the Old Testament than in the New testament. Although people were healed and gifts of healings were in operation in the Old Testament, gifts of healings were more in operation in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. The working of miracles was used for the miraculous deliverance of God’s people from Egyptian bondage. We see this gift used when God convinced Pharaoh to let Israel go. A number of miracles were wrought there (Exodus 7-14). When Aaron threw down his rod and it was turned into a serpent, that was the working of miracles. When the dust was turned into insects and all the other plagues followed, this was the gift of the working of miracles in operation. Coming out of Egypt, the Israelites faced the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his hosts close behind, ready to make them slaves again. Mountains loomed on one side, the wilderness on the other, the sea in front of them, and the enemy behind them, their situation seemed hopeless But Moses  looked to the Lord and the Lord told him to stretch forth his rod. Moses obeyed and the sea divided. That was the working of a miracle. It was divine intervention in the ordinary course of nature.

2. “...And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.”

a. [And the] heart [Strong: 3820 lêb, labe; a form of H3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything:—care for, comfortably, consent, × considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), × heed, × I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), × regard(-ed), × themselves, × unawares, understanding, × well, willingly, wisdom.]

b. [of] Pharaoh [Strong: 6547 Parʻôh, par-o'; of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings:—Pharaoh.]

c. [was] hardened [Strong: 3513 kâbad, kaw-bad'; or כָּבֵד kâbêd; a primitive root; to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively, to make weighty (in the same two senses):—abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, × be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man), lade, × more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.]

d. [and he did] not [Strong: 3808 lôʼ, lo; or לוֹא lôwʼ; or לֹה lôh; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; + not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles:—× before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

e. [let the] people [Strong: 5971 ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.]

f. [Strong: 853 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

g. let …go [Strong: 7971 shâlach, shaw-lakh'; a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):—× any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, × earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).]

1). I think it is clear that Pharaoh of his own free will, caught up in idolatry and lust, hardened his own heart and would not let Israel go. The word of God warns us not to harden our hearts through willful disobedience.

a). Hebrews 3:7-13 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

2). Within this drama between God and Pharaoh there are a number of Scriptures that just say that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and others that say Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

a). Exodus 7:14   And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.

b). Exodus 7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

c). Exodus 7:23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.

d). Exodus 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.