And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
Pharaoh sent people to check, and sure enough, not a single animal belonging to the Israelites had died. But Pharaoh's heart became stubborn, and he refused to let the people go.
This verse shows that even when Pharaoh saw clear evidence of God's protection over the Israelites, he stubbornly refused to obey God's command to free them.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Exodus, God was unleashing a series of plagues on Egypt to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from harsh slavery, demonstrating His supreme power and justice. The fifth plague specifically struck the livestock of the Egyptians, causing widespread death, while miraculously sparing the animals of the Israelites to highlight God's protection over His people. Despite this clear sign, Pharaoh's hardened heart led him to ignore the evidence and refuse to let the Israelites go, illustrating the theme of human rebellion against divine authority.
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