Was God cruel in inflicting the then plagues on Egypt to deliver Israel from slavery? This is a valid question to ask, especially when the narrative says "God hardened Pharaoh's heart".
In Gen 15:13-14, Ex 6:6, Ex 7:4 it says that Egypt was judged. That means that the plagues served a dual purpose - one of judging Egypt and the other of delivering Israel from slavery.
For what was Egypt judged? The Bible does not say, but one good guess would be their cruelty not only to the Israelites but to all the slaves from whichever nation. This is a character of God seen in the prophetic writings of Amos, Isaiah etc. for cruelty against the poor and in Obadiah for cruelty ro ones enemies.
In this sense God was not being cruel to Egypt in the plagues.
How do we then understand the phrase "God hardened Pharaoh's heart"? I want to make two obeservation on this.
1. A similar incident is seen in II Samual 24 where God was angry with Israel and so moved David to call for a census resulting in a judgement coming on Israel. Similalry, God hardens Pharaoh's heart so that a judgement comes on the Egytpians for their cruelty.
2. The second observation is that the passage 7 times records "Pharaoh hardens his heart" and 3 times "God hardens Pharaoh's heart." Both God and Pharaih were involved and Pharaoh was not just clay in God's hand. God took advantage of Pharaoh's pride and nature to make Egypt reject the signs and prophecies given through Moses. The few who believed escaped some of the plagues, Ex 9:20, but those who did not believe were judged.
Some of the innocent Egytpians would have suffered God's judgement because of the cruelty of their fellowmen, just as some of us suffer because of the cruelty of out neighbours and fellow human beings taking God's blessings away from our nation.
In Gen 15:13-14, Ex 6:6, Ex 7:4 it says that Egypt was judged. That means that the plagues served a dual purpose - one of judging Egypt and the other of delivering Israel from slavery.
For what was Egypt judged? The Bible does not say, but one good guess would be their cruelty not only to the Israelites but to all the slaves from whichever nation. This is a character of God seen in the prophetic writings of Amos, Isaiah etc. for cruelty against the poor and in Obadiah for cruelty ro ones enemies.
In this sense God was not being cruel to Egypt in the plagues.
How do we then understand the phrase "God hardened Pharaoh's heart"? I want to make two obeservation on this.
1. A similar incident is seen in II Samual 24 where God was angry with Israel and so moved David to call for a census resulting in a judgement coming on Israel. Similalry, God hardens Pharaoh's heart so that a judgement comes on the Egytpians for their cruelty.
2. The second observation is that the passage 7 times records "Pharaoh hardens his heart" and 3 times "God hardens Pharaoh's heart." Both God and Pharaih were involved and Pharaoh was not just clay in God's hand. God took advantage of Pharaoh's pride and nature to make Egypt reject the signs and prophecies given through Moses. The few who believed escaped some of the plagues, Ex 9:20, but those who did not believe were judged.
Some of the innocent Egytpians would have suffered God's judgement because of the cruelty of their fellowmen, just as some of us suffer because of the cruelty of out neighbours and fellow human beings taking God's blessings away from our nation.
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