Exodus 4:21

¹⁹ Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who sought to kill you are dead.”

²⁰ So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

²² Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son,

²³ and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
KJV: 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 let the people go.
WEB: The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand: but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
DARBY: And Jehovah said to Moses, When thou goest to return to Egypt, see that thou do all the wonders before Pharaoh that I have put in thy hand. And I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
BLB: And YHWH said to Moses, “When you go to return to Egypt, see all the wonders that I have put in your hand, and you do them before the face of Pharaoh. And I will strengthen his heart, and he will not send out. the people

ÅB: Og Herren sa til Moses: Når du nå vender tilbake til Egypt, så se til at du gjør alle de under som jeg har gitt deg makt til å gjøre, for Faraos øyne; men jeg vil forherde hans hjerte, så han ikke lar folket fare.
OTB: Herren instruerte Moses: «Når du vender tilbake til Egypt, utfør for farao alle de under jeg har gitt deg makt til å gjøre. Men jeg vil forherde hans hjerte så han ikke vil la folket gå.
B1930: Og Herren sa til Moses: Når du nu vender tilbake til Egypten, så se til at du gjør alle de under som jeg har gitt dig makt til å gjøre, for Faraos øine; men jeg vil forherde hans hjerte, så han ikke lar folket fare.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Romans 9:18
Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
Read in context
Joshua 11:20
For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Read in context
Isaiah 63:17
Why, O LORD, do You make us stray from Your ways and harden our hearts from fearing You? Return, for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.
Read in context
Exodus 14:8
And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly.
Read in context
Exodus 7:13
Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
Read in context
Exodus 9:35–10:1
So Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had said through Moses.
Read in context
Exodus 9:12
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said to Moses.
Read in context
John 12:40
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”
Read in context