The Meaning of Exodus 10:1 Explained

Exodus 10:1

KJV: And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Go in unto Pharaoh, for I have declared hard his heart, and the heart of his servants, so that I set these My signs in their midst,

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his bondmen, that I might do these my signs in their midst,

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  said  unto Moses,  Go  in unto Pharaoh:  for I have hardened  his heart,  and the heart  of his servants,  that I might shew  these my signs  before  him: 

What does Exodus 10:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 10:1-11 - Pharaoh Still Refuses To Submit
Pharaoh was capable of being a noble and glorious soul, through which God might have shown forth all His power and glory, Exodus 9:16. But he refused, and the profanation of the best made him the worst. There is a crisis in every soul-history up to which God's methods appear likely to turn the proud to Himself; but if that is passed, those methods seem only to harden. Just as in winter the thaw of the noon makes harder ice during the night; so, if the love of God fails to soften, it hardens. In this sense God seemed to harden Pharaoh's heart. The real conflict lay with his stubborn will, which would not yield, Exodus 10:3; although his servants advised him to let the people go, Exodus 10:7. The only result was that the king recalled the Hebrew leaders and made another effort at compromise-"Go now ye that are men." The children are always the key to the situation. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 10

1  God threatens to send locusts
7  Pharaoh, moved by his servants, inclines to let the Israelites go
12  The plague of the locusts
16  Pharaoh entreats Moses
21  The plague of darkness
24  Pharaoh again entreats Moses, but yet is hardened

What do the individual words in Exodus 10:1 mean?

And said Yahweh to Moses go in Pharaoh for I have hardened - his heart and the hearts of his servants that I may show signs of Mine these before him
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א פַּרְעֹ֑ה כִּֽי־ אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־ לִבּוֹ֙ וְאֶת־ לֵ֣ב עֲבָדָ֔יו לְמַ֗עַן שִׁתִ֛י אֹתֹתַ֥י אֵ֖לֶּה בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בֹּ֖א  go  in 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
פַּרְעֹ֑ה  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי  have  hardened 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לִבּוֹ֙  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
לֵ֣ב  the  hearts 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
עֲבָדָ֔יו  of  his  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
לְמַ֗עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
שִׁתִ֛י  I  may  show 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
אֹתֹתַ֥י  signs  of  Mine 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
אֵ֖לֶּה  these 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ  before  him 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.