John Grant and the others on the list, please note that John only mentions the slaying of the firstborn of the Egyptians, but he carefully avoids mentioning that the first born was not necessarily a small child. In fact, I doubt very seriously if any of the slain were children, but were grown men and women.
He also doesn�t mention that Pharaoh had several warnings but was too stupid to observe and comply and let the Israel people go.
1). When the magicians cast down their staffs and they turned into snakes, and Aaron then cast down Moses� staff and it turned into a snake and ate the others up.
Exodus 7:13: �And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.�
Ferror Fenton renders this verse this way:
�However the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not listen to them..�
There is no indiction whatever that Yahweh had anything to do with the hardening of Pharoah�s heart.
2). God caused a plague of blood to be upon Egypt (Exodus 7:14-25) but still the Egyptian king would pay no attention.
Exodus 7:13: �And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.�
This does not say that Yahweh hardened Pharaoh�s heart. It says �he hardened Pharaoh�s heart, probably meaning Moses with his signs.� But it does NOT say that Yahweh did it.
3). God caused a plague of frogs (Exodus 8:1-15) but still the Egyptian king would not let the Israel people go.
Exodus 8:15: �But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.�
Ferror Fenton renders this verse:
�...but Pharaoh hardened his heart...�
Here it says that Pharaoh, himself, hardened his heart, not Yahweh.
4). A plague of Lice (Exodus 8:16-19) but still the king would not let the Israel people go.
Exodus 8:19: �Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.�
Ferror Fenton says in Exodus 8:25:
�...Nevertheless Pharaoh will continue to oppose, and will not allow the People to go away...�
There is nothing to advocate that Yahweh did it, but there is ample evidence that Pharaoh did it himself.
5). A plague of boils in the cattle (Exodus 9:1-7) but still he would not let Israel go.
Exodus 9:7: �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.�
Ferror Fenton is more clear on this verse as he renders it: �Paroh, also, sent to examine, and discovered that of the cattle of the Israelites none had died, yet pharaoh hardened his heart, and would not let the people go.
To harden ones heart is to harden one�s face as in (Proverbs 21:29, KJV) and is to put on an impudent, shameless face; the NASB expression is� "shows a bold face," and the NIV, "puts up a bold front." "To harden the neck" (Proverbs 29:1, NASB, KJV); "stiffened their neck," (2 Kings 17:14; Nehemiah 9:29, KJV) is to be stubborn, self‑willed.
Here again it says that Pharaoh�s heart was hardened, but it was his own doing, and not that of Yahweh. So the hardness of the heart of pharaoh is a classic case of such disobedience who refused to release the Hebrew (Israelite) people in spite of repeated displays of God�s power.
6). A plague of boils and open sores on the people (Exodus 9:8-12) and still he would not let Israel go.
Exodus 9:12: �And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.�
Now here it says that the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, this is the first time this is said.
7). A plague of hail (Exodus 9:18-31) and still he would not let Israel go.
Exodus 9:34‑35: �And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, AND HARDENED HIS HEART, he and his servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.
(KJV)
Ferror Fenton renders this verse this way:
�But when Pharaoh perceivd tht the rain and hail and voices had ceased, he continued to sin, and hardend his hyeart...So Pharaoh�s heart was obstinate, and he would not release the children of Israel.
Here Pharaoh hardend his own heart, Yahweh did not do it.
8). A plague of Locusts (Exodus 10:1-20) and still the king would not let Israel go.
Exodus 10:1‑20: �And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD...But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.�
9). A plague of darkness (Exodus 10:21-23) and still the king would not let Israel go.
Exodus 10:27: �But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.�
Four times Yahweh hardened Pharaoh�s heart, in order to show not only the Egyptians but the people in Canaanland His great powers, so that it would go a little easier on the Children of Israel when they came into the land. Because they would fear Yahweh the God of the Israelites. The rest of the time, Pharaoh hardened his own heart.
You would think by this time that he would have had senses enough, not only to let them go, but to actually drive them out. But no, the Israel people mean great profit to him with their free or almost free labor, just as the jews do today with the people in America. They make too much profit off them to let them out from under the bondage of taxes and other schemes to rid them of their money.
Then and only then, after all these other plagues and signs and wonders did God at last resort to physical violence and killed the firstborn of the Egyptians (and the disobedient Israelites). (Exodus 11:4-7; 12:17; 12:29-30)