A frequent misinterpretation portrays God as arbitrarily hardening Pharaoh's heart to manufacture rebellion, thereby implicating divine injustice in Pharaoh's sinfulness, whereas the full narrative context reveals Pharaoh repeatedly hardening his own heart first, with God's action serving to confirm and judicially strengthen that self-chosen stubbornness in line with prophetic warnings, balancing human responsibility with God's ultimate authority.
Exodus 9:35
King James Version (1769)
35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses.
This verse underscores God's sovereign fulfillment of His word spoken through Moses, as Pharaoh's persistent hardness of heart after the devastating plague of hail prevents him from releasing the Israelites, highlighting divine control over human rulers and events despite displays of miraculous power intended to prompt repentance and obedience.