Did the Lord Harden Pharaoh’s Heart?
Joseph Smith Translation, Exodus 7:3, 13–14
3 And Pharaoh will harden his heart, as I said unto thee; and thou shalt multiply my signs, and my wonders, in the land of Egypt. . . .
13 And Pharaoh hardened his heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.
President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
“The Lord does not harden the hearts of men; they harden their own hearts. In the scriptures where it says the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, it is a mistranslation in every case. In the corrected verses of the Inspired Version [Joseph Smith Translation] the Lord said to Moses:
“‘And Pharaoh will harden his heart, as I said unto thee; and thou shalt multiply my signs, and my wonders, in the land of Egypt’ [JST, Exodus 7:3; compare with King James Version].
“In the same chapter it reads:
“‘And Pharaoh hardened his heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
“‘And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go’ [JST, Exodus 7:13–14].”
(Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols. [1957–66], 3:136.)
