Exodus 7:1-7 Meaning: Moses as God?
1Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
2You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
3I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4But Pharaoh will not listen to you, so I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring out my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring the children of Israel out from among them.”
6Moses and Aaron did so. As Yahweh commanded them, so they did.
7Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
1And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
3And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
6And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they.
7And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
1And Jehovah said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
3And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4But Pharaoh will not hearken unto you, and I will lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
6And Moses and Aaron did so; as Jehovah commanded them, so did they.
7And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
1And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `See, I have given thee a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother is thy prophet;
2thou--thou dost speak all that I command thee, and Aaron thy brother doth speak unto Pharaoh, and he hath sent the sons of Israel out of his land.
3`And I harden the heart of Pharaoh, and have multiplied My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt,
4and Pharaoh doth not hearken, and I have put My hand on Egypt, and have brought out My hosts, My people, the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments;
5and the Egyptians have known that I am Jehovah, in My stretching out My hand against Egypt; and I have brought out the sons of Israel from their midst.'
6And Moses doth--Aaron also--as Jehovah commanded them; so have they done;
7and Moses is a son of eighty years, and Aaron is a son of eighty and three years, in their speaking unto Pharaoh.
1And Jehovah said to Moses, See, I have made thee God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
3And I will render Pharaoh's heart obdurate, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
4And Pharaoh will not hearken unto you; and I will lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth my hosts, my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth my hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
6And Moses and Aaron did as Jehovah had commanded them: so did they.
7And Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Meaning in one sentence
God tells Moses he will be like God to Pharaoh, with Aaron as his prophet. This passage shows God's authority, Pharaoh's hardness, and the purpose of signs.
Context
After Moses and Aaron first went to Pharaoh, things got worse. The king made the Israelites work even harder, and the people turned against Moses. Now God speaks again, and this time His commission sounds different. He tells Moses that he will be like God to Pharaoh, and Aaron will be his prophet. The message is clear: Moses carries divine authority, not his own. God also warns that Pharaoh will not listen, and that He will harden Pharaoh’s heart. But that resistance is not the end of the story. It becomes the stage for signs and wonders that will force Egypt to know the Lord. At the close of this passage, almost as a quiet note, Moses is eighty years old and Aaron is eighty-three. Two old men, standing before the most powerful king on earth, holding not a sword but a word from God.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words open up this passage. First, the verb behind “I have made you” is natan, meaning to give, set, or appoint. God is not saying Moses became a literal god. He is saying Moses is appointed as His personal representative, standing in His place before Pharaoh. Second, the word for “harden” in verse 3 is qashah, which means to make stiff or stubborn. Some Christians understand this as God actively hardening Pharaoh; others see it as God permitting Pharaoh’s own stubborn heart to run its course. Either way, the result is the same: the king’s refusal becomes the backdrop for God’s power. Third, God promises to multiply “signs and wonders.” The Hebrew words otot and mophetim point to miraculous credentials that prove God is at work. They are not random magic. They are purpose-built evidence, aimed at one goal: that the Egyptians will know who Yahweh is.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians read the hardening of Pharaoh in different ways. Reformed theologians like Calvin saw it as God’s active decree, a sovereign act to display His glory. Wesleyan and Methodist commentators often say God permitted Pharaoh’s own obstinacy to continue, giving him opportunity to repent while also multiplying the signs. Baptist tradition (Gill) describes the hardening as God giving Pharaoh over to his own rebellious heart. What all traditions hold together is that the hardening served a purpose: the judgment of Egypt and the demonstration that the Lord alone is God. Likewise, when God says Moses is “as God” to Pharaoh, historic Christian teaching agrees this means Moses is a representative, not a deity. The title underscores the authority and weight of the calling, not any claim to divinity.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that God forced Pharaoh to sin against his will. In fact, the Hebrew verb qashah can be translated “make stubborn” but also “permit to be stubborn.” Across Christian traditions, many commentators point out that Pharaoh had already hardened his own heart in earlier chapters (Exodus 5:2). God’s action here is often understood as giving Pharaoh over to the rebellion he had already chosen, not creating fresh evil in him.
Living This Out
You may feel too old, too overlooked, or too tired for what God is asking. Moses was eighty. The world tells you that’s past prime. But the calling did not depend on his energy or eloquence. It depended on who sent him. This week, you might face a boss, a family member, or a situation that seems as immovable as Pharaoh. You cannot change a hard heart by yourself. But you can speak what God gives you to say, and trust that even a stubborn “no” can serve His larger purpose. Your part is not to force the outcome. Your part is to carry the message, and then let God do what only God can do.
Main takeaway: God chooses ordinary people to carry His authority, and even opposition serves His purpose of making Himself known.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God told Moses he would be like a king for God in front of Pharaoh. Moses was eighty years old, very old! But God still used him. You are never too young or too old for God to use.
For ages 9, 12
Moses and Aaron were very old when they stood before the most powerful king in the world. God said Moses would be like a god to Pharaoh, meaning he spoke for God. Even when Pharaoh refused to listen, Moses and Aaron kept obeying. God had a bigger plan than just one conversation. He was going to show everyone that He is the real God.
Questions People Ask
What does it mean that Moses was made 'as God' to Pharaoh?
It does not mean Moses became a god. It means he was appointed as God's personal representative, carrying divine authority before Pharaoh. Just as a king's ambassador speaks with the king's authority, Moses stood in God's place for this mission.
Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart?
Christians have understood this differently. Some see it as God actively making Pharaoh stubborn to display His power and judgment. Others see it as God permitting Pharaoh's own already-stubborn heart to continue. Either way, the hardening served a purpose: it gave God the opportunity to multiply signs and wonders so that Egypt would know He is the Lord.
Why does the passage mention the ages of Moses and Aaron?
Their ages show that they were not young, energetic men starting a new career. Moses was eighty and Aaron eighty-three. This highlights that their strength came from God, not from human ability. It also reminds us that God often calls people later in life.
How is Aaron Moses' prophet?
A prophet is a spokesperson. Moses was to speak God's words to Aaron, and Aaron was to deliver those words to Pharaoh. It is a chain of communication: God to Moses, Moses to Aaron, Aaron to Pharaoh. This arrangement helped Moses, who felt unskilled in speech.
What are 'signs and wonders' in this context?
The Hebrew words otot (signs) and mophetim (wonders) refer to miraculous acts that prove God is at work. They are not random miracles but specific credentials that show the Lord is the true God, superior to the gods of Egypt.
For pastors & researchers
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