Bible Character Studies: The Pharaoh of the Exodus

What do we know of him?

-Scholars can only guess which Pharaoh was the Pharaoh of the Exodus. There are convincing arguments for all the names presented. Since Scripture doesn’t tell us, we must leave it at that.

-We know that in the book of Genesis, the Pharaoh (or king) of Egypt was favourable to the children of Israel for Joseph’s sake. Gen. 47:5, 6

-“Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” Ex. 1:8  This marked a change. This new king did not know of Joseph or appreciate what he had done for Egypt. Pharaoh is afraid of this large ethnic group among his people, not for anything they did, but merely because of their number. He surmises that in the event of war, they’ll join Egypt’s enemies, (even though he has no evidence to assume this) attack them and go up out of the land. So he makes them slaves to build his cities. In spite of this, they multiplied and grew. It made them dread the children of Israel more, so they worked them harder and “made their lives bitter with hard bondage.”

-He went further and we see the first recorded attempt at genocide, when he commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill all the male children when they were born. However, in civil disobedience, they defied the king’s edict, fearing God instead, and saved the male children alive. When Pharaoh summoned them and called them to account for their failure to obey, they made up a story that the children were already born by the time they arrived. God rewards this and these women, who normally would have remained unmarried, are blessed with households, because they feared God.

-They continue to multiply, so Pharaoh escalates the persecution, ordering that every male child who is born should be cast into the river. There is no mistaking his intent. Unlike the more subtle first order, which could seem to be just the unfortunate death of sons, everyone in the land, Egyptians and Israelites, would know he planned genocide of this people group.

-Into this dreadful and stressful social scenario, a son is born to a Levite couple. They hide him, sensing something special about him. We already studied what happened to him.

-This Pharaoh now has a Hebrew growing up in the palace as his own grandson. All is well until Moses kills an Egyptian. Then Pharaoh turns on him and seeks to kill him. Moses flees to Midian and doesn’t return to Egypt for 40 years.

-There is now a different Pharaoh on the throne. Ex.2:23, 4:19 After his commissioning by God and with the support of the elders of Israel, Moses takes his brother, Aaron and goes before Pharaoh with God’s demands.

-Pharaoh is arrogant. He sees himself as a god. He has absolute control over his people. He says, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.” Ex.5:2

-They repeat the message, but Pharaoh rejects it and orders them back to work. “The same day” he gives the harsh order to make bricks without providing them with straw, but their quota is to remain the same. Ex. 5:3-9

-Of course, they are unable to fill their quota and are beaten for it. They complain to Moses and Aaron. Moses takes his own complaint to the LORD, who hasn’t delivered His people, “at all.” Ex. 5:23

-We see that during the course of the ten plagues on Egypt, it’s recorded that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and/or that Pharaoh hardened his heart nineteen times. Both factors are at play. Pharaoh was not acting against his will. He really didn’t want to let the people go. But the plan was God’s. Pharaoh was acting in keeping with his desire to not let the people go. Yet, behind it all, was the sovereign plan of God, in order to bring about the deliverance of His people with a mighty hand.

-Even though God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, He still held him responsible. “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.” Ex. 10:3 Also Ex. 7:16 “…but indeed, until now, you would not hear!”

-Pharaoh is threatened by God, Himself. A scary prospect. God says, “Or else…” Ex. 10:4 which should make Pharaoh take notice. He also says, “Thus shall you say to Pharaoh, ‘Israel is My son, My firstborn—So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed, I will kill your son, your firstborn.” Ex. 4:22,23

-Even Pharaoh’s servants eventually tried to reason with him and admit defeat. “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” Ex. 10:7

-God is not required to explain any of His actions to us. “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Ex. 33:19b

Yet Scripture lists several reasons for the plagues/hardening of Pharaoh’s heart/separation between Egypt and Israel/testing in the wilderness. Ultimately, it’s for His glory.

1. “…that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.” Ex. 9:14 He is the only true God.

2. “But indeed, for this purpose I have raised you (Pharaoh) up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Ex. 9:16 He is sovereign over the affairs of the earth and desires that His glorious name is proclaimed worldwide.

3. “…that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.” Ex. 9:29 He owns and controls the planet He created.

4. “Now the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.’” Ex.10:1, 2 So that future generations will hear of them and know who God is.

5. “So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.  They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”  Ex.9:22, 23 “Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.” Ex.9:26 “But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.’ Ex. 11:7 God protects His people and demonstrates His concern for His people before a watching world. “And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.” Ex. 14:25

6. “’Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.’ And they did so.” Ex. 14:4 God desires even His enemies to acknowledge who He is.

7. “And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” Ex. 14:17, 18 God fights for His honor over the kings of the earth. He is the King of kings. He fights for His people.

8. “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’” Ex. 20:20 Trials come so we may recognize the greatness of our God and cease from sin.