Wednesday, January 13, 2016

To Pharah's Heart, "Be Strong"




“But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened (kaved) his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said” (Ex 8:15), “But the LORD hardened (chazak) Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.” (Ex 10:20)

“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My Name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.’  So then He has mercy on whom He desires and He hardens whom He desires.” (Rom 9:17-18)

This week’s (January 9, 2016) parashat reading, “Vaera” (Ex 6:2-9:35), includes the first seven plagues of the LORD against Egypt.  Associated with each miracle, is a corresponding hardening of Pharaoh’s heart against Moses’ appeal to let Israel go.  Seventeen times in Exodus, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened.  During the initial plagues, Pharaoh “hardened (kaved) his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said,” (Ex 8:15).  In the face of increasing miracles, “the LORD hardened (chazak) Pharaoh’s heart,” (Ex 10:20). 

We discover examining the Hebrew that two different words are used to refer to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, “kaved” and “chazak”.  The word “kaved” is understood as “heaven, weighty or burdensome” and is used exclusively for Pharaoh’s acting on his own heart.  The word “kabed” is the root word of “kaved”, which is translated in scripture as “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn (kabed),” (Ex 7:14).  Pharaoh’s “stubborn” heart was initially able to resist the appeal of Moses. 

As the magnitude of the miracles increased, “the finger of God” (Ex 8:19), the LORD began to harden Pharaoh’s heart.  The word used to describe the action of the LORD on Pharaoh’s heart is “chazak”, which means “to grow firm or strong, to strengthen”.  Elsewhere in scripture, “chazak” is offered in the context of encouragement, like when Joshua entered the Promised Land and the LORD told him,

“Be strong (chazak) and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only be strong (chazak) and very courageous,” (Josh 1:6-7)

From this and other passages, a common Hebrew expression of encouragement is derived, “Chazak chazak v’nitchazek”, which translates as “Be strong, be strong and may we be strengthened.”  So why is “chazak” used in reference to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart by the LORD?

The use of the word “chazak” indicates that the LORD did not change Pharaoh’s heart, but strengthened Pharaoh’s heart to enable Pharaoh to accomplish what Pharaoh desired.  Without the strengthening of Pharaoh’s heart, Pharaoh would have been overcome by the power of the miracles and allowed Israel to go, not on the basis of a repentant heart, but out of fear.  The LORD’S action did not impede freewill, as is the common interpretation, but actually preserved freewill. As the Talmud states, “In the way that a person wants to go, he will be led (by the Divine assistance).”[1]  This may be the implication of Paul’s statement, “God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity,” (Rom 1:24).  In Paul’s example, the LORD gave the people over to do what they wanted to do anyway, just like Pharaoh.

Paul refers to Pharaoh a number of times in Romans.  It is likely that the “hardening” (chazak) of Pharaoh’s heart by God became the pattern Paul saw in reference to Israel, “For I do not want you, brethren to be uninformed of this mystery, so that you will not be wise in your own estimation – that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,” (Rom 11:25).  Following the example of Pharaoh, the leaders of Israel were still accountable for their denial of Jesus as Messiah.  Yet, this hardening of Israel was required to preserve the freewill of Israel’s leadership in the face of increasing miracles.  Just as Israel was saved following the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, “so all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26), following the “partial hardening” of Israel’s leaders seen by Paul.  Through this hardening, the grafting of Gentiles into the promises of Abraham became possible. 

Let’s conclude by briefly looking at Paul’s statement to the Romans in the context of freewill, “So then He has mercy on whom He desires and He hardens whom He desires.” (Rom 9:18).  Historically, the words of Paul have been understood as an act which usurps freewill, supporting the doctrine of predestination in the minds of some.  However, when we study the original Hebrew, we learn the exact opposite.  In His foreknowledge, (Ex 7:14), the LORD understood that Pharaoh would never repent in the stubbornness of his heart, “For this very purpose I raised you up,” (Rom 9:17)(Ex 9:16).  In the context of Pharaoh, “He hardens whom He desires,” reflects the reality that the LORD “strengthened” Pharaoh’s heart to enable Pharaoh to carry out the desire of Pharaoh’s heart.  “He has mercy on whom He desires” reflects the grace that will be poured out on individuals who through freewill “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you,” (Matt 6:33).

Hi From Austin - Scott


[1] The Power of Teshuvah, Rabbi Heshy Kleinman, 2011 Edition, page77

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