Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 9:12/רמב"ן על שמות ט׳:י״ב
אוַיְחַזֵּק ה' אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁבַּמַּכּוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת הָיוּ הַחַרְטֻמִּים מְחַזְּקִים אֶת לִבּוֹ לְהִתְפָּאֵר אֶצְלוֹ בְּחָכְמָתָם, וְעַתָּה לֹא בָּאוּ לְפָנָיו, וְאֵין עוֹזֵר לוֹ וְאֵין סוֹמֵךְ בְּאִוַּלְתּוֹ רַק עֲוֹנֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר יִלְכְּדֻנוֹ. אוֹ שֶׁיִּרְמֹז הַכָּתוּב לְמָה שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, כִּי בַּמַּכּוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת בְּפִשְׁעוֹ הָיָה הַדָּבָר, וְעַתָּה סִבָּה מֵאֵת ה' כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְתִּי לְמַעְלָה (ז ג). וְהוּא הָאֱמֶת:
1AND THE ETERNAL HARDENED THE HEART OF PHARAOH. It is possible that during the first plagues, the magicians hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order to pride themselves in their wisdom. But now that they did not come before him and there was none to help him and none to uphold him208 in his folly except his iniquities that ensnared him,209 [it was G-d Who hardened his heart]. It is possible that Scripture is alluding to that which our Rabbis have explained,210 i.e., that during the first plagues, the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was his own doing,211 and now it was [rightfully] caused by G-d, as I have explained above.212 This is the true explanation.