God prepares Moses for the great confrontation with the Egyptian empire, making it clear that Pharaoh's refusal to free the Israelites is not a failure of the mission. Instead, this resistance is a deliberate part of a much broader historical and educational plan.
The primary approach among commentators addresses a profound moral question: if God hardens Pharaoh's heart, how can Pharaoh be held responsible and punished for actions forced upon him? The commentators resolve this through two complementary explanations. The first approach views the hardening of Pharaoh's heart as a direct punishment for his initial wickedness. Because Pharaoh independently initiated the cruel enslavement of the Israelites and arrogantly defied God, he forfeited his right to repent. Consequently, God locked the door to repentance in order to exact full justice for those early crimes [רמב״ן, רש״י, הטור הארוך, רבנו בחיי, משכיל לדוד, חומש קה״ת].
The second approach explains that God intervened to prevent a superficial surrender. Had Pharaoh released the Israelites simply because he could no longer endure the plagues, his decision would have stemmed from pain rather than true submission or recognition of God. Therefore, God granted Pharaoh the physical and mental endurance to withstand the suffering, neutralizing his fear. This allowed Pharaoh to remain in his original state of rebellion and make decisions free from the terror of punishment [רמב״ן, ספורנו, המזרחי, שד״ל, ביאור ישר].
In this context, the act of hardening is understood by some as injecting Pharaoh with the strength and courage needed to endure the severe afflictions [אבן עזרא, תולדות יצחק, שפתי כהן, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, it is also interpreted as a heavy blow, meaning God brought profound sorrow and distress into his heart [הכתב והקבלה]. Another perspective suggests that God simply withdrew the divine assistance typically granted to those seeking spiritual purification, leaving Pharaoh entirely entrenched in his own deceit and impurity [פרדס יוסף].
To emphasize that Pharaoh freely chose his wicked path, commentators point to a crucial detail in the narrative. During the first five plagues, God did not harden Pharaoh's heart; rather, Pharaoh stubbornly hardened it himself. Only after he repeatedly ignored the warnings, and the plagues became so unbearable that he was on the verge of breaking from the pain, did God intervene. During the final five plagues, God hardened his heart as a precise measure for measure, ensuring his wickedness would be fully exposed to the world [רמב״ן, רש״י, גור אריה, חזקוני, דברי דוד].
The ultimate goal of this divine strategy is to multiply the signs and wonders in Egypt. The objective is not merely the technical liberation of the Israelites, but the global demonstration of God's absolute power and mastery. The sheer volume of plagues was designed to uproot the heretical worldview of the Egyptians, who falsely claimed divine powers for themselves. This process forces Egypt to recognize the truth while simultaneously providing a profound moral lesson for the Israelites, who witness God's judgments and learn true reverence [ספורנו, רש״י, הכתב והקבלה, צרור המור].
Commentators distinguish between the two types of miracles displayed. Signs serve as evidence of God's existence and active providence, often manifesting through natural events that He guides. Wonders, on the other hand, are extraordinary, supernatural phenomena that completely upend the laws of nature, intended to shock the observer and persuade the heart to submit to the Creator [העמק דבר, מלבי״ם, ביאור ישר]. The multiplication of these events is not merely a quantitative increase, but a deliberate method to produce clear, undeniable evidence of God's absolute control over the entire world [הכתב והקבלה].