You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about Pharaoh's stubbornness; it reveals that his refusal to let Israel go is seen by God as a direct act of rebellion against Him. God emphasizes that attacking His people is the same as attacking Him, highlighting the deep, personal connection between God and those He calls His own.
You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pharaoh has just survived the plague of hail, which devastated crops and livestock but miraculously spared Goshen, where the Israelites lived. Despite this devastating blow and the warning that the hail was a direct act of God, Pharaoh has not relented. God, through Moses, confronts Pharaoh with his continued defiance, which is seen as an affront not just to the Israelites, but to God himself. The next plague, locusts, is then announced, showing God's escalating judgment against Pharaoh's stubborn pride.
Pharaoh is battling more than just a rebellious group of slaves. He's directly challenging the Almighty. How does God view attacks on His people?
In Exodus 9:17, God declares, 'my people.' This isn't just a possessive statement; it's a profound declaration of identification. When Pharaoh oppresses or refuses to let go of the Israelites, God sees it as a direct assault on Himself. The commentaries highlight this: 'God takes what is done for or against his people as done for or against himself.' Pharaoh's defiance wasn't merely an insult to Moses or the Israelites; it was a personal affront to the Creator of the universe.
This reveals a core truth about God's heart: His people are precious to Him, and He is fiercely protective. Their suffering is His suffering; their oppression is His. This should bring immense comfort to believers today – we are not alone in our struggles. God is invested in our lives and will not stand idly by when His name and His children are challenged.
Pharaoh's refusal to release the Israelites isn't just stubbornness; it's a deep-seated pride that blinds him to reality. What does this kind of pride do?
The verse uses the phrase 'exaltest thou thyself,' which the commentaries explain as a form of intense opposition, even 'trampling' on God's people. Pharaoh's pride manifests as an insatiable need to assert his own will and power above God's. He is 'still exalting himself,' meaning this isn't a new behavior but a persistent pattern.
This 'exalting' is a form of spiritual blindness. It prevents Pharaoh from seeing the overwhelming power of God displayed through the plagues. Instead of humbling himself and submitting, his pride hardens his heart, pushing him further into defiance. The commentaries note that such obstinacy, especially after repeated warnings and judgments, demonstrates a 'madness' and 'willfulness' that rushes toward destruction. This is a stark reminder: unchecked pride doesn't just make us difficult; it actively works against God's truth and leads us down a path of self-destruction.
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Understand the original words
mitsolel · Hebrew Verb
Refers to the act of pridefully setting oneself above others or against divine authority. It is the antithesis of the humility God requires of both rulers and the common man.
This verse captures a critical moment of divine confrontation. Pharaoh's 'exalting himself' isn't just political stubbornness; it's a direct defiance of God's authority, highlighting how personal pride can lead to catastrophic consequences for oneself and others.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites enslaved in Egypt
For centuries, the descendants of Abraham had lived in Egypt, growing into a vast nation. However, a new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, feared their numbers and enslaved them, forcing them into brutal labor.
c. 1446 BC
The Ten Plagues begin
After Pharaoh repeatedly refused to let the Israelites go, God sent a series of ten devastating plagues upon Egypt to demonstrate His power and force Pharaoh's hand. These plagues progressively worsened, affecting water, land, and life itself.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Plague of Hail
This plague, described in Exodus 9, involved a terrifying storm of hail mixed with fire, striking down man, beast, and crops throughout Egypt, except in the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived. It represented a severe escalation of God's judgment.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's hardened heart
Despite the increasing devastation, Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, often prompted by his own pride and the influence of his advisors. He would sometimes relent temporarily, only to refuse again when the pressure eased.
c. 1446 BC
Israel departs Egypt
Following the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh finally relented and commanded the Israelites to leave Egypt, marking the end of their 430-year sojourn and the beginning of their exodus.
This Psalm describes the wicked as arrogant and proud, driven by their conceit, refusing to seek God. Pharaoh's stubborn refusal to let Israel go echoes this deep-seated arrogance that blinds one to God's authority.
Proverbs 16:18This proverb warns that pride goes before destruction. Pharaoh's continued self-exaltation against God's people directly leads to his escalating downfall, demonstrating this principle.
Romans 9:22Paul discusses God's sovereignty in raising up Pharaoh specifically to display His power and wrath. This verse contextualizes Pharaoh’s hardened heart and resistance not just as personal defiance, but as part of God’s larger plan to reveal His might.
2 Chronicles 36:16This passage describes the people of Judah repeatedly mocking God and despising His messengers, leading to His wrath and no chance for healing. Pharaoh's relentless defiance, despite repeated plagues, mirrors this pattern of scorning divine warnings and bringing ultimate destruction upon himself.
gillExodus 9:17: "As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?"
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? And so against God himself, disobeying his commands, despising his messengers, and slighting his miracles, and hardening his heart against him, and refusing to let Israel go, after all; thereby showing the most intolerable pride and insolence not only against the Lord's poor people, but against himself, for what is done to…
clarkeExodus 9:17: "As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?"
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people - So it appears that at this time he might have submitted, and thus prevented his own destruction.
This verse isn't just about Pharaoh's stubbornness; it reveals that his refusal to let Israel go is seen by God as a direct act of rebellion against Him. God emphasizes that attacking His people is the same as attacking Him, highlighting the deep, personal connection between God and those He calls His own.
Pharaoh has just survived the plague of hail, which devastated crops and livestock but miraculously spared Goshen, where the Israelites lived. Despite this devastating blow and the warning that the hail was a direct act of God, Pharaoh has not relented. God, through Moses, confronts Pharaoh with his continued defiance, which is seen as an affront not just to the Israelites, but to God himself. The next plague, locusts, is then announced, showing God's escalating judgment against Pharaoh's stubborn pride.
Pharaoh has just survived the plague of hail, which devastated crops and livestock but miraculously spared Goshen, where the Israelites lived. Despite this devastating blow and the warning that the hail was a direct act of God, Pharaoh has not relented. God, through Moses, confronts Pharaoh with his continued defiance, which is seen as an affront not just to the Israelites, but to God himself. The next plague, locusts, is then announced, showing God's escalating judgment against Pharaoh's stubborn pride.
"You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go." — This verse isn't just about Pharaoh's stubbornness; it reveals that his refusal to let Israel go is seen by God as a direct act of rebellion against Him. God emphasizes that attacking His people is t…
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Last reviewed October 2026