But when Pharaohsawthat there was relief,he hardenedhis heartand did not listento them, as the LORDhad said.
When the kingof Egyptwas toldthat the peoplehad fled,Pharaohand his servantshada changeof hearttowardthe people,and they said,"Whatis thiswe have done,that we have letIsraelgofrom servingus?"
The LORDsaidto Moses,"When you gobackto Egyptseethat you performbeforePharaohallthe wonderswhichI have putin your power;but I will hardenhis heartso that he will not letthe peoplego.
"When Pharaohdoes not listento you, then I will layMy handon Egyptand bringout My hosts,My peoplethe sonsof Israel,from the landof Egyptby greatjudgments.
So they piledthem in heaps,and the landbecamefoul.
Then the LORDsaidto Moses,"Sayto Aaron,'Stretchout your staffand strikethe dustof the earth,that it may becomegnatsthrough allthe landof Egypt.'"
Pharaohsaid,"I will letyou go,that you may sacrificeto the LORDyour Godin the wilderness;onlyyou shall not govery faraway. Makesupplicationfor me."
Then Mosessaid,"Behold,I am goingout from you, and I shall makesupplicationto the LORDthat the swarmsof insects may departfrom Pharaoh,from his servants,and from his peopletomorrow;onlydo not let Pharaohdealdeceitfullyagainin not lettingthe peoplegoto sacrificeto the LORD."
But Pharaohhardenedhis heartthistimealso,and he did not letthe peoplego.
Then Pharaohcalledfor Mosesand Aaronand said,"Entreatthe LORDthat He removethe frogsfrom me and from my people;and I will letthe peoplego,that they may sacrificeto the LORD."
Like a dogthat returnsto its vomitIs a foolwho repeatshis folly.
A manwho hardens[his] neckafter much reproofWill suddenlybe brokenbeyondremedy.
Becausethe sentenceagainst an evildeedis not executedquickly,thereforethe heartsof the sonsof menamong them are givenfullyto doevil.
[Though] the wickedis shownfavor,He does not learnrighteousness;He dealsunjustlyin the landof uprightness,And does not perceivethe majestyof the LORD.
Whatshall I dowith you, O Ephraim?Whatshall I dowith you, O Judah?For your loyaltyis like a morningcloudAnd like the dewwhich goesaway early.
whileit is said,"TODAYIFYOU HEARHIS VOICE,DO NOT HARDENYOUR HEARTS,AS WHENTHEY PROVOKEDME."
DO NOT HARDENYOUR HEARTSAS WHENTHEY PROVOKEDME, AS IN THE DAYOF TRIALIN THE WILDERNESS,
Menwere scorchedwith fierceheat;and they blasphemedthe nameof Godwho hasthe powerovertheseplagues,and they did not repentso as to giveHim glory.
And the cowstookthe straightwayin the directionof Beth-shemesh;they wentalong the highway,lowingas they went,and did not turnasideto the rightor to the left.And the lordsof the Philistinesfollowedthem to the borderof Beth-shemesh.
They said,"Ifyou sendawaythe arkof the Godof Israel,do not sendit empty;but you shall surelyreturnto Him a guiltoffering.Thenyou will be healedand it will be knownto you whyHis handis not removedfrom you."
"Whythen do you hardenyour heartsas the Egyptiansand Pharaohhardenedtheir hearts?WhenHe had severelydealtwith them, did they not allow the people to go,and they departed?
"Watch,ifit goesup by the wayof its own territoryto Beth-shemesh,then He has doneus thisgreatevil.But ifnot, then we will knowthat it was not His handthat struckus; it happenedto us by chance."
