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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Exodus 4:21

EXODUS—NOTE ON Exodus 4:21 I will harden his heart. The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is referred to throughout chs. Exodus 4:1, emphasizing Pharaoh’s responsibility for his own actions (e.g., Exodus 8:15, Exodus 8:32; Exodus 9:34). However, the Lord states here that it is his sovereign hand that ultimately governs the events. Even if God hardens a sinner’s heart, however, that person still remains responsible for his sin. See Romans 9:16.

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See also Exodus 4:21 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Exodus 4:21. _BUT I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART_] The case of Pharaoh has given rise to many fierce controversies, and to several strange and conflicting opinions. Would men but look at the whole acc...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    I WILL HARDEN - Calamities which do not subdue the heart harden it. In the case of Pharaoh, the hardening was at once a righteous judgment, and a natural result of a long series of oppressions and cru...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4:1-28 MOSES' OBJECTIONS, JEHOVAH'S ANSWER AND THE RETURN TO EGYPT _ 1. The first objection (Exodus 4:1)_ 2. The two signs and Jehovah's assurance (Exodus 4:2) 3. The second objection (Exod...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 4:21 J. THE DEATH OF PHARAOH'S FIRSTBORN IS THREATENED. Exodus 4:22 f. seems to have been moved back hither from before Exodus 10:28 to serve as a general introduction to the Plagues, receiving...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    I WILL HARDEN. I will embolden. By Hebrew idiom active verbs of doing are used of suffering or permitting. thing to be done. Compare Genesis 31:7, e.g. Hebrew "God did not give him to do me evil". Com...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    GOEST TO RETURN— Houbigant renders this, _And the Lord said unto him, when he was returning into Egypt._ The Vulgate renders it in the same manner. _I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART_— For a full explication o...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 4 And Mo-ses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Je-ho-vah hath not appeared unto thee. (2) And Je-ho...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, WHEN THOU GOEST TO RETURN INTO EGYPT, SEE THAT THOU DO ALL THOSE WONDERS BEFORE PHARAOH, WHICH I HAVE PUT IN THINE HAND: BUT I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART, THAT HE SHALL NOT L...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:21 harden (c-32) Or 'make stubborn.' so ch. 14.4,8,17....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SIGNS ATTESTING THE COMMISSION OF MOSES. HIS RETURN TO EGYPT Moses still hesitates, and now objects that the péople will not believe him when he tells them that Jehovah has sent him. He is granted th...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART] God proposes to harden Pharaoh's heart, in order to have the opportunity of displaying His power in the deliverance of His people, and exhibiting His character to the Egyptian...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION THE *ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT EXODUS CHAPTER S 1 TO 18 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 4 THE *LORD GIVES GREAT POWER TO MOSES – VERSES 1-9 God shows his po...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    ALL THOSE WONDERS. — Not the “three signs” of Exodus 3:3, but the “portents” or “wonders “which were to be done before Pharaoh, and which had been alluded to in Exodus 3:20. These were, in the counsel...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָה֮ אֶל ־מֹשֶׁה֒ בְּ לֶכְתְּך

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    MOSES OBEYS _._ Exodus 4:18. Moses is now commissioned: he is to go to Egypt, and Aaron is coming thence to meet him. Yet he first returns to Midian, to Jethro, who is both his employer and the head...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    MOSES AND AARON ANNOUNCE GOD'S PURPOSE TO ISRAEL Exodus 4:18 So often the keenest tests of a man's fitness for his life-work are furnished by his behavior in his home. It may be that Zipporah had res...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    A further difficulty was now declared. The man who first doubted himself and then doubted because of his ignorance of God now doubted because of the people to whom he was to be sent. God had told him...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will (i) harden his heart, that he shall no...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    I shall harden, &c. Not by being the efficient cause of his sin; but by withdrawing from him, for his just punishment, the dew of grace, that might have softened his heart; and so suffering him to gro...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    So many objections vain and carnal men have in all ages brought against the hardening of Pharaoh's heart; that I wish the Reader, be who he may, to pause once for all over this account of it, and cons...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is hardly a book of the Old Testament that stands out in more decided contrast with the book of Genesis than the one which follows it most closely. And this is the more striking, because God emp...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    21._When thou goest to return. _Moses had not previously enumerated the wonders; but from this verse we gather, that whatever we shall presently read to be done, was already commanded by God. There is...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Moses still raises difficulties, and God gives him again signs, remarkable signs. The two first seem to me in their character-types, the first, of sin and of its healing; the second, of power, which,...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES,.... At the same time he appeared to him in Midian, and ordered him to go into Egypt, even before his departure thither: WHEN THOU GOEST TO RETURN INTO EGYPT; and when go...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not le...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Which I have put in thy hand_ In thy power: _I will harden his heart_ After he has frequently hardened it himself, wilfully shutting his eyes against the light, I will at last permit Satan to harden...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Moses rod is turned into a Serpent. 6 His hand is leprous. 10 He is loath to bee sent. 14 Aaron is appointed to assist him. 18 Moses departeth from Iethro. 21 Gods message to Pharaoh. 24 Zippo...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in thine hand. The first commission was here repeated and explain...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    MOSES DISMISSED BY JETHRO...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    Exodus 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto 2thee. And Jehovah said unto him, What _is_...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    God's message to Moses has been so clear that it cannot be mistaken. He has made no secret of the opposition of Pharaoh, but has declared positively that He would enable Israel to triumph over this an...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    18-23 After God had appeared in the bush, he often spake to Moses. Pharaoh had hardened his own heart against the groans and cries of the oppressed Israelites; and now God, in the way of righteous ju...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    IN THINE HAND, i.e. in thy power or commission, to be clone by thy hand, and the rod in it. I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART, that he shall he unmerciful to all the groans and pressures of the Israelites, inex...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    We are still called to linger at the foot of Mount Horeb, at "the backside of the desert;" and, truly, the air of this place is most healthful for the spiritual constitution. Man's unbelief and God's...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 4:21 LORD H3068 said H559 (H8799) Moses H4872 go H3212 (H8800) back H7725 (H8800) Egypt...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE THREE SONS (EXODUS 4:21). This section could be described as being at the heart of the book of Exodus, for it deals with three attitudes that lie at the heart of God's dealings with the world: His...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    HARDEN HIS HEART (Cf) (Exodus 8:15); (Exodus 8:32); (Exodus 9:34). In the face of the righteous demand of Jehovah and of the tremendous attestations by miracle that He was indeed God, and that Moses...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Moses' objections. Unbelief of the people and Moses' lack of eloquence. Return to Egypt. Message delivered to elders. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Aaron, Jethro, Zipporah, elders. CONCLUSION: U...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 4:1. _They will not believe me._ Then the Lord directed him to work a miracle, the most convincing evidence of divine authority, for the removal of unbelief. Exodus 4:2. _A rod._ Milton has dis...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _See that thou do all these wonders before Pharaoh._ MOSES BEFORE PHARAOH Israel was under the sovereign control of the King of Egypt. He had property in them. Moses in the name of the Lord suddenly...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Exodus 4:21_ THE ANTICIPATION OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE I. THAT VERY FREQUENTLY GOD CAUSES GOOD MEN TO ANTICIPATE CHRISTIAN SERVICE. 1. _It is often anticipated as the...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION EXODUS 4:18-2 If Moses had, as we have supposed, been accepted into the Midianitish nation, he would need permission to withdraw himself from the tribal head. This head was now Jether, or...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me (Exodus 4:1), Now he's not convinced. They're gonna say, "Who sent you?" "All right", God said, "Tell them Jehovah God, the God of y...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    wonders. Exodus 3:20 I will harden. Exodus 7:3 Exodus 7:13 Exodus 9:12 Exodus 9:35...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    In thy hand — in thy power: I will harden his heart — After he has frequently harden'd it himself, wilfully shutting his eyes against the light, I will at last permit Satan to harden it effectually....

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    If God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, how can Pharaoh be held responsible? PROBLEM: The Bible quotes God as saying, “I will harden his [Pharaoh’s] heart, so that he will not let the people go.” But if God...

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