The king sent people to see what had happened to the animals of Israel, and they found that not one of them had died. But the king was still stubborn and did not let the people go.
God’s wisdom is deep, and his power is great; no one can fight him without getting hurt.
“But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go. Only a great power will force him to let you go,
Still the king was stubborn and refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “The king is being stubborn and refuses to let the people go.
But the king became stubborn again and did not let the people go.
But the Lord made the king stubborn, so he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Fill your hands with ashes from a furnace. Moses, throw the ashes into the air in front of the king of Egypt.
Whoever is stubborn after being corrected many times will suddenly be hurt beyond cure.
I knew you were stubborn; your neck was like an iron muscle, and your head was like bronze.
“But Nebuchadnezzar became too proud and stubborn, so he was taken off his royal throne. His glory was taken away.
So God shows mercy where he wants to show mercy, and he makes stubborn the people he wants to make stubborn.