Exodus 4:21
“Yahweh said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.”
What does Exodus 4:21 mean?
God is telling Moses what to expect as he returns to Egypt with divine power to free the enslaved Israelites. Even though Moses will perform miraculous signs, Pharaoh's resistance won't be a surprise, because God himself will strengthen Pharaoh's stubborn refusal to release the people. This seems harsh at first, but it serves a purpose: it will give God opportunity to display his power through many signs, making his deliverance undeniable rather than just one quick miracle. The hardening of Pharaoh's heart isn't God overriding his will unfairly, but rather God allowing and intensifying the stubbornness that was already there, so that his ultimate victory becomes unmistakable to everyone witnessing these events.