The same Greek verb (σκληρύνω) that is used by Paul in Romans 9:18 for “harden” is used throughout the story of Pharaoh in the Greek Septuagint. However, in the Hebrew Old Testament there are actually two different Hebrew verbs that are used throughout the story of Pharaoh: Chazaq and Qasha. Qasha is used only twice and means more literally “to harden.” Chazaq, on the other hand, is used nine times to describe Pharaoh’s heart being hardened and actually translates to mean “to make strong or firm. In Chazaq’s other occurrences in the Old Testament it is translated as “strengthen.”
A list of places in the old testament that Chazaq is used:
- Judges 3:12
- 1 Samuel 23:16
- 2 Chronicles 11:11, 16:9, 32:5
- Nehemiah 3:19
- Isaiah 41:7
A closer look at 2 Chronicles 16:9 — “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
The strongly support is the word chazaq. This verse demonstrates that the word itself does not indicate that God determined the type of heart one would have. He did not make this individual’s hearts obedient to Him. God found a heart that was completely His and strengthened or strongly supported it in that way.
Hebrews 3 also talks about the Israelites who were hardened and exhorts its readers to not become like them. The same root Greek word for harden is used here as in Romans 9. Hebrews 3:12 states, “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Later, in 4:2, these Israelites who were hardened were also described as not uniting the Word that was preached to them with faith. Here, those in the church are exhorted to not become like the Israelites who were hardened and thus face the same fate. This indicates that the individual has a role in becoming hardened and can keep themselves from being hardened. It also tells us that the hardening was a result of the unbelief and disobedience and not the cause of it.
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