PHARAOH MEANING FREE

The first-century Rabbi Yochnan ben Zakai, for example, wondered whether PharaohвЂ™s lack of volition might provide вЂњheretics with ground for arguing that he had no means of repenting.вЂќ Others have sought to defend GodвЂ™s actions. вЂњAnd he hearkened not unto them as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.вЂќ Theologians have been grappling with these questions for hundreds of years.

вЂњAnd the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh,вЂќ Exodus 9:12 reads. Following the sixth plague, however, Pharaoh seems to lose his nerve and God steps in, hardening his heart for him. Towards the beginning of the story, Pharaoh hardens his own heart (or it вЂњis hardenedвЂќ in the passive voice). After seeing the frogs hopping around his bedchamber, Pharaoh calls to Moses and asks him to вЂњintreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people and I will let the people go.вЂќ God obliges, calling the plague off, but вЂњwhen Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them.вЂќ And so the pattern continues. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house.вЂќ PharaohвЂ™s hard-hearted refusal brings on the next plague, frogs. As the King James Bible puts it, вЂњPharaohвЂ™s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them as the Lord had said. On seeing the effects of this plague, Pharaoh seems to reconsider. In turn, God brings down the first of 10 plagues, the transformation of water to blood. Tyrant that he is, Pharaoh rejects the brothersвЂ™ request outright.

PHARAOH MEANING FREE

A quick refresher, for the biblically illiterate: As per GodвЂ™s instructions, Moses and his brother Aaron go to PharaohвЂ™s court and ask him to free the enslaved Hebrew people.

Pharaoh meaning