For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

EXODUS 9:14KJV
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Exodus 9:14 (KJV)

What does Exodus 9:14 mean?

Exodus 9:14 records God telling Pharaoh that He will now send all His plagues directly against Pharaoh’s heart, his officials, and his people, so that Pharaoh will know there is no one like God in all the earth. This verse highlights that the coming judgment is meant to reveal God’s unmatched power and uniqueness.

In this scene, God is speaking to Pharaoh through Moses during the series of plagues in Egypt. God warns that the next round of plagues will be especially severe, targeting not just Egypt’s land or animals but Pharaoh’s own heart and everyone around him. The purpose is to make it unmistakably clear to Pharaoh and all of Egypt that the God of Israel is unique and supreme, unlike any other.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 9:14

  • "Plagues" (מַגֵּפָה, maggephah): This word often refers to a blow or a severe affliction, not just a disease. Here, it suggests that what is coming will be a direct and powerful strike, not just a nuisance.
  • "Heart" (לֵב, lev): In Hebrew thought, the heart is the center of will and understanding, not just emotion. God’s warning that the plagues will strike Pharaoh’s heart means these events are meant to confront Pharaoh personally and challenge his stubbornness.
  • "Know" (יָדַע, yada): This word means more than simple awareness; it often implies deep recognition or experience. God wants Pharaoh to truly recognize, through experience, that there is no one like Him.

Why Exodus 9:14 matters

  • Exodus 9:14 clarifies that God’s actions are not random punishments but are purposeful, aiming to reveal His uniqueness and power to Pharaoh and all of Egypt.
  • The verse marks a turning point: the plagues will now affect Pharaoh personally, not just his land or people, showing the escalating seriousness of God’s warnings.
  • This statement sets the stage for the rest of the plagues, emphasizing that God’s goal is not just to free Israel, but to make His identity and authority known to the world.

Where else these words appear

“plagues” Hebrew H4046 · used in 25 verses

  • Numbers 14:37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
  • Numbers 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.
  • 1 Chronicles 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.

“time” Hebrew H6471 · used in 108 verses

  • Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
  • Deuteronomy 10:10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.
  • 2 Kings 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.