出埃及記中的”harden”一詞小考

有更好的理解和考察的地方也歡迎補充和賜教。
出埃及記多次提到了這個”harden”,比如出埃及記4：21；7：3；9：12；10：1，20，27；11：10；14：4，8，17大多數的聖經版本翻譯都和King James的版本一樣。如果有興趣對比更多版本的話，可以訪問這個網站http://www.biblegateway.com ，下麵僅以New King James Version為例。
New King James Version
Exodus4:21And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
Exodus7:3 “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.”
Exodus10:1Now the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him
Exodus10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
在 Jay P. Green, Sr.的一冊The Interlinear Bible—Hebrew/Greek/English這本書中，有希伯來語和英語的對比，並且在每個希伯來詞上給了Strong’s Concordance Number.比如在出埃及記4：21 中的harden號碼是2388，7：3中harden號碼是7185，9：12 是2388，10：1是3513，10：20是2380，10：27，11：10，14：4，8，17 都是2388。統計的結果就是主要有四個號碼：2388，7185，2380和3513。
含有2388的聖經章節有Ex4:21,9:12,10:27,11:10,14:4,14:8,14:17，含有7185的聖經章節有 Ex7:3，含有2380的章節有 Ex10:20，含有3513的章節有 Ex10:1。
The New STRONG’S Exhaustive concordance of The Bible這本書中給了每個號碼的意思，特摘抄如下（省去發音部分）：
2388 חָזַק a prim. Root; to fasten upon; hence to seize, be strong (fig. Courageous, caus. Strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify ),obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer:--aid, amend, x calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage(-ous, -ly), encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintain, play the man, mend, become (wax) mighty, prevail, be recovered, repair, retain, seize, be (wax) sore, strengthen (self), be stout, be (make, shew, wax) strong (-er), be sure, take (hold), be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand.
7185 קָשָׁה a prim. Root ; prop. To be dense, i.e. tough or severe (in various applications) :--be cruel, be fiercer, make grievous, be ([ask a], be in, have, seem, would) hard(-en,[labour], -ly,thing), be sore,(be, make) stiff (-en,[-necked]).
2380 חָזוּת from 2372; a look; hence,(fig.) striking appearance, revelation, or (by impl.) compact:--agreement, notable (one), vision.
3513 כּבַד or כּבֵד a prim. Root; to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); caus. To make weighty ( in the same two senses) :--abounding with ,more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, x be dim, glorify, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man), lade, x more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.
2388用得最多，但其詞的含義也最廣，通讀聖經，並且對比各種聖經版本，我還是覺得以下的版本翻譯得最恰當。

New World Translation of the Holy ures
Exodus4:21And Jehovah went on to say to Moses: “After you have gone and returned to Egypt see that YOU men actually perform all the miracles that I have put in your hand before Phar´aoh. As for me, I shall let his heart become obstinate; and he will not send the people away.
Exodus7:3 As for me, I shall let Phar´aoh’s heart become obstinate, and I shall certainly multiply my signs and my miracles in the land of Egypt.
Exodus10:1 Then Jehovah said to Moses: “Go in to Phar´aoh, because I—I have let his heart and the hearts of his servants become unresponsive, in order that I may set these signs of mine right before him
Exodus10:20 However, Jehovah let Phar´aoh’s heart become obstinate, and he did not send the sons of Israel away.
再對比一下約瑟在埃及當時的法老的態度。創世紀41：38-40“法老對臣仆說：“我們還能找到另一個人像他一樣有上帝的靈嗎？”法老對約瑟說：“上帝既把這一切指示了你，就再沒有人比你英明而有智慧。”你可以管理我的家。”對於這樣的法老，上帝賜福給埃及。如果摩西時代的法老們有這樣的悟性和謙虛謹慎的態度，耶和華根本沒必要降下十場災難，更用不著“harden”法老的心去再去降災。

此外猶太1世紀的曆史學家約瑟夫斯在其作品猶太人的古代史中對法老是如下記載的。(The Antiquities of the Jews Book2 chapter 14 Concerning the ten plagues which came upon the Egyptians)
1 But when the king despised the words of Moses, and had no regard at all to them, grievous plagues seized the Egyptians;……………but when the plague ceased, he (Pharaoh)changed his mind again, and would not suffer them to go.
2. But when God saw that he was ungrateful, and upon the ceasing of this calamity would not grow wiser, he sent another plague upon the Egyptians:…………….But as soon as Pharaoh saw the land freed from this plague, he forgot the cause of it, and retained the Hebrews; and, as though he has a mind to try the nature of more such judgments, he would not yet suffer Moses and his people to depart, having granted that liberty rather out of fear than out of any good consideration.
4. But when Pharaoh did not even then yield to the will of God,……
5.One would think the forementioned calamities might have been sufficient for one that was only foolish, without wickedness, to make him wise, and to make him sensible what was for his advantage. But Pharaoh, led not so much by his folly as by his wickedness, even when he saw the cause of his miseries, he still contested with God, and willfully deserted the cause of virtue; ………and when Pharaoh did not still repent and let the Hebrews go, Moses came to him and said “How long wilt thou be disobedient to the command of God? For he enjoins thee to let the Hebrews go; nor is there any other way of being freed from the calamities you are under, unless you do so.”
一個多世紀以前在埃及的Saqqara金字塔附近發現的”The Egyptian Ipuwer Papyrus Manu”也描述了埃及遭受的血災，雹災，牲畜災，頭生子災和埃及人對其所作出的反應。當然還有其他的希臘曆史學家對出埃及記的記載我就在此不戎述了。