What Does Exodus 10:27 Mean in the King James?
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The LORD makes Pharaoh’s heart firm at the very point where Pharaoh refuses to send the people out.
THE MEANING
A refusal can become fixed around withholding release. The verse holds the mystery plainly: the LORD strengthens Pharaoh’s heart, and Pharaoh will not send the people away.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that every hardened heart is only the product of its owner’s will: this verse names the LORD as the one who strengthens Pharaoh’s heart.
THE ROOT
לְשַׁלְּחָם
leshalleḥam
GROWS FROM
שלח
to send, send forth, or release
The phrase rendered “let them go” carries the sense of sending the people forth. The refusal is a refusal of release: Pharaoh keeps them from the movement that would take them out of constriction.
ALSO GROWS
shillēaḥ: to send away, dismiss, release
שִׁלֵּחַ
This verb makes clear that the withheld act is a sending forth, not merely an opening of the hand.
Shiloah: sent forth; the name of the waters of Shiloah
שִׁלֹּחַ
The name of waters that flow forth echoes the movement Pharaoh blocks here.
וַיְחַזֵּק
vayḥazzeq
GROWS FROM
חזק
to be strong; to strengthen or make firm
The root holds firmness and strength inside “hardened”: Pharaoh’s heart is made resolute in its resistance. Beside shalach, that firmness gathers around a refusal to release.
ALSO GROWS
ḥāzāq: strong, firm
חָזָק
This adjective shows the strength carried by the root that describes Pharaoh’s heart being made firm.
hithḥazzēq: to strengthen oneself, take courage
הִתְחַזֵּק
The same root can describe becoming strong, illuminating the force behind the heart’s fixed resistance.
THE PATTERN
Repeated refusal to release can make a heart firm in its resistance.
And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.THE THREAD
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.The same roots recur: חזק (chazaq, strengthen or make firm) describes Pharaoh’s heart, while שלח (shalach, send forth or release) names what he withholds. Together they show firmness gathering around the refusal to release.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us