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As I explained, Pharoah did it to himself. That is clear from the context I shared.
Again, the words "I will harden Pharoah's heart" means that God will keep the idiot alive so he can continue to harden his own heart.
As the text shows. Why do you think God said this to Pharoah,
"
15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth.
16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
I guess people see what they want to see. I see God telling Pharoah that "by this time" he could have been killed by God, but instead, God has "raised you up for this VERY PURPOSE".
iow, God kept him alive for a specific purpose, and as long as Pharoah was alive, he was hardening his own heart.
Here is how the Bible describes the first 5 plagues:
Plague #1 - 7:22 -
22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
Plague #2 - 8:15 -
But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
Plague #3 - 8:19 - the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.
Plague #4 - 8:32 - But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.
Plague #5 - 9:7 - Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.
To "not listen" and to be "unyielding" are acts of the volition, or free will.
These verses PROVE that Pharoah was hardening his own heart by his own actions. So, when the Lord told him that "by this time" he could have been killed and wiped off the earth, he was allowing Pharoah to continue to harden his own heart.
That is the sense in which "God hardened his heart".
The pattern is very clear in the first 5 plagues. Pharoah did it to himself. So why would God have to intervene to make him continue to harden his own heart?