But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart uses a different word from that in verse 1. The word here, meaning “to make strong,” is used in 12 of the 20 references to the heart of the Pharaoh. (See the discussions at 4.21 and 7.13.) The meaning of the phrase, however, is still that Yahweh “made the king stubborn.”

He did not has been changed in New Revised Standard Version to “he would not,” suggesting more clearly the stubborn refusal of “the king.” As in previous references, he did not let … go is literally “he did not send out.” The children of Israel, of course, refers to “the Israelites.” Contemporary English Version‘s model will be helpful in many languages: “but the LORD made the king so stubborn that he still refused to let the Israelites go.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .