¹⁵ But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.^(A)

¹¹ Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil.

⁴ When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay my hand upon Egypt and bring my people the Israelites, company by company, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.^(A)

¹⁵ As it is said,

¹¹ But they refused to listen and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears in order not to hear.^{(A) 12} They made their hearts adamant in order not to hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.^(B)

⁷ when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left, Lachish and Azekah, for these were the only fortified cities of Judah that remained.^(A)

Treacherous Treatment of Slaves

⁸ The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them,^{(B) 9} that all should set free their Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should hold another Judean in slavery.^{(C) 10} And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that all would set free their slaves, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again; they obeyed and set them free. ¹¹ But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free and brought them again into subjection as slaves.

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed toward the people, and they said, “What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?”

¹³ However, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.^(A)

The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go.^(B)