Exodus 9:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

And Pharao seeing that the rain, and the hail, and the thunders were ceased, increased his sin:
Douay-Rheims

וַיַּ֣רְא פַּרְעֹ֗ה כִּֽי־חָדַ֨ל הַמָּטָ֧ר וְהַבָּרָ֛ד וְהַקֹּלֹ֖ת וַיֹּ֣סֶף לַחֲטֹ֑א וַיַּכְבֵּ֥ד לִבּ֖וֹ ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָֽיו׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Wlastow G.K.

19th centuryCommentator

The term 'weighed down the heart' suggests a sense of dullness or an inability to comprehend or reason rightly. Conversely, the phrase 'hardened the heart' in the subsequent verse conveys a more intense form of malignant stubbornness that arises from a corrupted will encountering resistance.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

Ex 7:14And the Lord said to Moses: Pharao's heart is hardened, he will not let the people go.
Ex 4:21And the Lord said to him as he was returning into Egypt: See that thou do all the wonders before Pharao, which I have put in thy hand: I shall harden his heart, and he will not let the people go.
Eccl 8:11For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear.
2 Chr 28:22Moreover also in the time of his distress he increased contempt against the Lord: king Achaz himself by himself,
Ex 8:15And Pharao seeing that rest was given, hardened his own heart, and did not hear them, as the Lord had commanded.
Rom 2:4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and patience and longsuffering? Knowest thou not that the benignity of God leadeth thee to penance?
Rom 2:5But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath, against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God:
2 Chr 33:23And he did not humble himself before the lord, as Manasses his father had humbled himself, but committed far greater sin.