Question: Was some translator out to make the God of Christ to appear to be some unjust demiurge?
Quote:
And the heart of Pharaoh was made hard, and he heard not them, as the Lord commanded. (But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.) Exodus 7:13 Wycliffe Version
Quote:
...and the heart of Pharaoh is strong, and he hath not hearkened unto them, as Jehovah hath spoken. Exodus 7:13 Young's Literal Translation
Now on to the King James Version:Quote:
Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? 1 Samuel 6:6 KJV
Notice that Moses and Aaron is the most recent actor mentioned before verse thirteen. Why would we presume 'he' to be anyone but Pharoah himself or even possibly Aaron or that the consequence of Aaron's rod swallowing up their rods being what 'hardened' Pharoah's heart?Quote:
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. 10And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. Exodus 7:8-13
Quote:
He hardened Pharaoh’s heart.—This is a mis-translation. The verb is intransitive, and “Pharaoh’s heart” is its nominative case. Translate, "Pharaoh’s heart hardened itself." -Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
Is is that the God of Christ simply allowed Pharaoh to make his own choice? The words 'chazaq' (translated harden but tending toward meaning 'strong' and 'leb' (translated heart but tending towards meaning 'mind') points to the attempt to impress Pharaoh to make the right decision simply resulting in Pharaoh being more strongly resolved. It is very likely that heretical and harmful doctrines led men to simply stick to their resolve of their belief of they themselves being God or being the All in All and thusly reflexively refusing all outer evidence to the contrary. In the New Testament the similar state seems to alluded to having a 'reprobate mind'. Again, it seems rather plausible that corruption of doctrines may have crept into the ancient dynasty around that time.Quote:
Exodus 7:13. And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart — That is, permitted it to be hardened: or, as the very same Hebrew word is rendered in Exodus 7:22, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. --Benson Commentary
Imagine someone saying "I insist that we give notice and grace, but be aware no matter what you do, he will just resolve to tell you to go jump in a lake. But we'll give him the opportunity to make the right choice although I already know how he's going to act." or "I will work with you to encourage him to make the right choice. But I know that he will only be more resolved to disobey." Being aware of the mindset that results from faulty doctrine, it was predictable what Pharaoh would do. Nebuchadnezzar who made similar errors is said to have been drawing on doctrines of the Chaldean Mystery Schools. (See: Ultra vires.)Quote:
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, ‘In thy going to turn back to Egypt, see — all the wonders which I have put in thy hand — that thou hast done them before Pharaoh, and I — I strengthen his heart, and he doth not send the people away. Exodus 4:21 Young's Literal Translation
One element that seems to be overlooked is that the dynasty of the Pharaohs was founded on doctrines that come Moses' time could have been rejected in favor of more 'neoliberal' doctrines.
On another thread, someone made a comment about the significance of THREE refusals.Quote:
I will harden his heart.—The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart has been the subject of much controversy. It is ascribed to God in this place, and again in Exodus 7:3; Exodus 9:12; Exodus 10:1; Exodus 10:20; Exodus 10:27; Exodus 14:4; Exodus 14:8; to Pharaoh in Exodus 8:15; Exodus 8:32; and Exodus 9:34; to the action of the heart itself in Exodus 7:13; Exodus 7:22; Exodus 9:7; Exodus 9:35. It is conceivable that these may be simply three forms of speech, and that the actual operation was one and the same in every case. Or, three different modes of operation may be meant. It is in favour of the latter view, that each term has a period during which it is predominant. In the narrative of what happened, the action of the heart is itself predominant in the first period; that of Pharaoh on his heart in the second; that of God in the third. We may suppose that, at first, Pharaoh’s nature was simply not impressed, and that then his heart is said to have “hardened itself,” or “remained hard;” that after a while, he began to be impressed; but by an effort of his will controlled himself, and determined that he would not yield: thus “hardening his own heart;” finally, that after he had done this twice (Exodus 8:15; Exodus 8:32), God stepped in and “smote him with a spirit of blindness and infatuation,” as a judgment upon him (Exodus 9:12), thus, finally, “hardening” him (comp. Romans 9:18). This divine action was repeated, on three subsequent occasions (Exodus 10:20; Exodus 10:27; Exodus 14:8), Pharaoh’s time of probation being past, and God using him as a mere means of showing forth His glory. There is nothing in this contrary to the general teaching of the Scriptures, or to the Divine Perfection. --Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
Refusal #1:
Refusal #2:Quote:
"...and the heart of Pharaoh is strong, and he hath not hearkened unto them, as Jehovah hath spoken." Exodus 7:13 YLT
Refusal #3:Quote:
“But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the LORD had said.” Ex 8:15 YLT
Then:Quote:
"And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go." Ex 8:31-9:1 {Perhaps this 'seals the deal'?}
Related: Who Hardened Pharaoh's Heart?Quote:
8And Jehovah saith unto Moses and unto Aaron, ‘Take to you the fulness of your hands [of] soot of a furnace, and Moses hath sprinkled it towards the heavens, before the eyes of Pharaoh, 9and it hath become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and it hath become on man and on cattle a boil breaking forth [with] blains, in all the land of Egypt.’ 10And they take the soot of the furnace, and stand before Pharaoh, and Moses sprinkleth it towards the heavens, and it is a boil [with] blains, breaking forth, on man and on beast; 11and the scribes have not been able to stand before Moses, because of the boil, for the boil hath been on the scribes, and on all the Egyptians. 12And Jehovah strengtheneth the heart of Pharaoh, and he hath not hearkened unto them, as Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses. Exodus 9:8-12 YLT
