7 takeaways from this study

The heart is at the center of both our physical and spiritual lives. In Hebrew thought, the heart—לֵב lev—is not just the seat of emotion, but also of thought, will and intention. When the Torah speaks of a “hardened heart,” it’s not just talking about feelings, but about the very core of who we are.

Why does this matter? Because the state of our hearts determines how we respond to God, to others, and to the challenges of life. The Exodus story, the prophets, and the teachings of Yeshua (Jesus) all return to this theme: Will we have hearts that are open and responsive, or hearts that are closed and resistant?

Let’s begin with חָזַק khazaq. This word appears throughout the Torah, sometimes as a command—“Be strong!”—and sometimes as a warning—“Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.” The root חזק kazaq means to be strong, to seize, to hold fast. In Exodus, it’s used to describe Pharaoh’s increasing resistance to God’s commands.

But khazaq is a double-edged sword. In Deuteronomy 31:6, Israel is told:

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you.” (NASB 1995)

Here, strength is a virtue. But in Exodus 7:13:

“Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (חָזַק kazaq), and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.”

Strength becomes stubbornness when it’s used to resist God. The same word that empowers us to stand firm in faith can, if misapplied, make us unyielding to the Spirit.

The Septuagint’s use of σκληραίνω skleraino for khazaq is telling. It’s the root of sclerosis—a medical term for hardening, as in arteries. Spiritually, it’s a warning: what begins as strength can become rigidity if we’re not careful.

Caved is another rich word. Its root means “heavy,” and it’s related to kavod (glory, honor). In Exodus 7:14:

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn (כָּבֵד); he refuses to let the people go.’”

A “heavy” heart is one weighed down—by pride, by sin, by the burdens of life. In Isaiah 6:10, the prophet is told:

“Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull and their eyes dim…”

The word for “dull” is caved. It’s as if the people’s spiritual senses are weighed down, unable to respond.

But caved can also be positive. Kavod is the word for God’s glory—the weightiness of His presence. When we honor our parents (Exodus 20:12), we give them kavod, weight, significance. The challenge is to discern: Is my heart heavy with sin, or heavy with the glory of God?

The Greek βαρύνω baryno used in the Septuagint means “to weigh down.” In Luke 21:34, Yeshua warns:

“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life…”

Qashah means “to be hard, severe, unyielding.” In Exodus 7:3:

“But I will harden (קָשָׁה qashah) Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.”

Kasha is the word used for a stiff neck, a hard heart, a refusal to bow. In 2Kings 17:14:

“However, they did not listen, but stiffened (קָשָׁה qashah) their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God.”

The Greek σκληρός skleros is used here, again evoking the idea of something rigid and unbending.

One of the most profound mysteries in Scripture is the interplay between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. In the Exodus story, sometimes Pharaoh hardens his own heart (Exodus 8:15), and sometimes God does it (Exodus 9:12). The rabbis and the apostles both wrestle with this tension.

Isaiah 63:17 asks:

“Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways and harden our heart from fearing You?”

Yet, the call to repentance is always present. Psalm 95:7–8 pleads:

“Today, if you would hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah…”

In the New Covenant, Hebrews 3:8 echoes this warning. The message is clear: God may allow us to go our own way, but He is always calling us back.

Rabbinic tradition often sees God’s hardening as a response to persistent human resistance. The Midrash Rabbah on Exodus 13:3 suggests that God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was to display His power, not to override Pharaoh’s will. Augustine, centuries later, saw it as evidence of divine sovereignty, while Nahum Sarna describes it as a progressive process—Pharaoh’s own stubbornness reinforced by God.

In Jewish thought, תשובה teshuvah—repentance, return—is central. The hardening of the heart is the antithesis of teshuvah. It’s a refusal to turn, to change, to listen.

But God’s invitation is always open. Ezekiel 36:26 promises:

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (NASB 1995)

This is the heart of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34), fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua, who offers transformation from the inside out.

Moses’ protest—“I am of uncircumcised lips” (Exodus 6:12, 6:30)—is deeply human. He feels unworthy, unprepared, unable to speak for God. The Hebrew עֲרֵל arel means “closed off,” “unresponsive.” Isaiah echoes this in his vision:

“Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips…” (Isaiah 6:5 NASB 1995)

But God responds with grace. The seraph touches Isaiah’s lips with a coal from the altar:

“Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.” (Isaiah 6:7 NASB 1995)

This is a picture of transformation—of lips and hearts made ready to speak and live God’s truth. Moshe promised the second generation of Israel post-Exodus:

“Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”

The apostle Ya’akov (James) reminds us that trials are not just obstacles, but opportunities:

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4 NASB 1995)

In the martial arts analogy shared in our study, bones are strengthened by repeated impact. Spiritually, our faith is strengthened by facing resistance—not to make us hard and unyielding, but to make us resilient and mature.

Yeshua warns in Mark 8:17:

“Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened (πωρόω poroo) heart?” (NASB 1995)

It’s possible to become so accustomed to the things of God that we stop being moved by them. The challenge is to stay sensitive, to keep our hearts soft and responsive.

Paul, in Romans 11:7, speaks of Israel:

“What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened (πωρόω poroo).”

The warning is for all of us: don’t let familiarity breed indifference.

Psalm 38:4 laments:

“For my iniquities are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.” (NASB 1995)

But Yeshua offers hope:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NASB 1995)

The answer to a heavy, stubborn heart is not more effort, but surrender—coming to Yeshua for rest, forgiveness, and transformation.

Paul’s analogy in Romans 9:20–21 is rooted in the Prophets:

“On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?” (NASB 1995)

We are called to be moldable, to let God shape us. The danger is in becoming so set in our ways that we can no longer be formed.

The Exodus was not just about Moses or Pharaoh. It was about a people. The elders, the mixed multitude, the entire community was on a journey. In Acts 7, Stephen recounts Israel’s history, reminding us that our choices affect others.

In Messianic Jewish life, community is central. We need each other—to encourage, to challenge, to keep our hearts soft. As Hebrews 10:24–25 urges:

“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…”

We see in Yeshua the fulfillment of the promise of a new heart. He is the One who circumcises our hearts by the Spirit (Romans 2:29), who gives us rest for our souls, who calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30).

Yeshua’s own heart was never hardened. He wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41), He was moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36), He forgave even those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34). He is our model and our source of transformation.

As we close, let’s remember: strength is not the same as stubbornness. True strength is found in surrender, in openness, in trust. The call is to be strong in faith, soft in compassion, open to God’s leading.

May we be a people with strong hearts—strong in faith, soft in compassion, open to God’s leading. May our lips speak truth and grace. And may we, like Moses, like Israel, like Yeshua Himself, walk in the freedom and fullness that comes from a heart transformed by God.