Exodus 7:23 Meaning: The Heart That Wouldn’t See
Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he didn’t even take this to heart.
And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.
And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he lay even this to heart.
and Pharaoh turneth and goeth in unto his house, and hath not set his heart even to this;
And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and took not this to heart either.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Pharaoh ignore the miracle of the Nile turned to blood? This devotional explores the meaning of setting your heart and the danger of turning away.
Context
The first plague has just fallen. Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh at the Nile, struck the water with Aaron’s rod, and the great river turned to blood. Fish died. The water stank. The Egyptians could not drink. But Pharaoh’s magicians imitated the miracle with their secret arts. That was enough for him. He turned around and went back to his palace, as if the whole thing had been nothing but a trick. The next verse adds that he did not pay attention even to this. This moment is a turning point, Pharaoh chooses to dismiss what his eyes have seen, and his heart begins to settle into a pattern that will lead to disaster.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words help us see what is really happening. “Turned” (panah) is a deliberate movement, he actively swivels away from the evidence in front of him. It was not passive drift; he turned his back on the sight of the dead river. “Set his heart” (shath libbo) is an idiom for giving something your full attention and consideration. The verb shath means to place or establish. Pharaoh did not place the plague into the weighing chamber of his heart. He let it sit outside, unexamined. “Also” (gam) is the little word that stings. It implies this was not the first sign he had ignored. He had already dismissed the rod turning into a serpent. Now he dismisses the blood as well. The word shows a pattern: a turning away, a refusal to attend, and a deepening habit of disregard.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians from different traditions have wrestled with why Pharaoh responded this way. Reformed readers, following Calvin, stress that Pharaoh’s hardness was voluntary, he was not a puppet but wittingly and willfully ran against God. Others, like Matthew Henry, note the tension: God had said He would harden Pharaoh’s heart, yet here Pharaoh actively stiffens his own neck. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges points to the Hebrew idiom of setting the heart as an act of focused attention which Pharaoh refused. All traditions agree that Pharaoh is responsible, but they differ in how they understand God’s sovereign role. What unites them is the observation that a miracle does not guarantee belief; the heart must be willing.
A common misunderstanding
Some think that “did not set his heart” means Pharaoh did not understand the significance of what he saw. In fact, the Hebrew idiom means he deliberately refused to consider it. He understood well enough. He simply would not allow the miracle to have weight in his thinking.
Living This Out
It is possible to see something clearly and still treat it as if it never happened. Perhaps you have seen a provision that only God could have given, but by the next morning you were worrying again. Or you felt convicted of a sin during a sermon and drove home unchanged. This verse is not a command but a mirror. It asks: what have I turned away from this week? There is still time to go back and set your heart on what God has shown you.
Main takeaway: Pharaoh saw a miracle and turned away; a heart that will not attend to God’s signs will gradually stop seeing them.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Pharaoh saw the water turn into blood, but he did not stop to think about it. He just went home. Sometimes we see something God does, and we keep going like it didn’t matter. God wants us to stop and remember Him.
For ages 9, 12
Pharaoh saw the Nile become blood, yet he walked away without letting it change his mind. The Bible says he did not “set his heart” to it, he didn’t let the miracle sink in. It’s easy to do the same. You might see something amazing God has done, but then get distracted before you even say thank you. This verse is a reminder to stop, think, and let God’s work into your heart.
Questions People Ask
Why did Pharaoh harden his heart after seeing the plague?
Exodus 7:23 shows that Pharaoh deliberately refused to consider the miracle. The phrase 'did not set his heart to it' means he decided not to give it any serious thought. Scripture describes both Pharaoh hardening his own heart and God hardening it, pointing to a mystery where human choice and divine sovereignty meet.
What does 'set his heart' mean in the original Hebrew?
The Hebrew phrase is 'shath libbo,' where 'shath' means to put or place and 'libbo' means his heart. Together it is an idiom for paying attention or considering something with genuine seriousness. It involves the whole inner person, not just the mind.
Did the Egyptian magicians' ability to copy the miracle affect Pharaoh's response?
Yes, the magicians turned water into blood as well, which gave Pharaoh a reason to dismiss the miracle as merely a trick. The Bible says immediately after that Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he did not listen, as God had said.
Is this verse about God or about human responsibility?
It is about both. The surrounding context shows God had already told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh's heart. But this verse also shows Pharaoh making a choice to ignore the sign. Christians across traditions see both God's sovereignty and Pharaoh's personal responsibility at work.
What lesson can Christians learn from Pharaoh's response?
Pharaoh saw a clear miracle and still walked away unchanged. The lesson is that seeing God's work does not automatically produce faith. We must actively set our hearts on what God shows us, or we risk becoming dull and indifferent.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study