And the Lord said unto Moses, go in unto Pharaoh, for I have
hardened his heart
Or, as some render it, "though I have hardened his heart" F21; or otherwise it would seem rather to be a reason he should not go, than why he should; at least it would be discouraging, and he might object to what purpose should he go, it would be in vain, no end would be answered by it; though there was an end God had in view, and which was answered by hardening his heart,
and the heart of his servants;
whose hearts also were hardened until now; until the plague of the locusts was threatened, and then they relent; which end was as follows:
that I might shew these my signs before him;
which had been shown already, and others that were to be done, see ( Exodus 7:3 ) or in the midst of him F23, in the midst of his land, or in his heart, see ( Exodus 9:14 ) .