Discovery BoxExodus 8:31 
Context8:31 and the Lord did as Moses asked 1 – he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained!
Exodus 9:35
Context9:35 So Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, 2 and he did not release the Israelites, as the Lord had predicted through Moses.
1 tn Heb “according to the word of Moses” (so KJV, ASV).
2 tn The verb about Pharaoh’s heart in v. 35 is וַיֶּחֱזַק (vayyekhezaq), a Qal preterite: “and it was hardened” or “strengthened to resist.” This forms the summary statement of this stage in the drama. The verb used in v. 34 to report Pharaoh’s response was וַיַּכְבֵּד (vayyakhbed), a Hiphil preterite: “and he hardened [his heart]” or made it stubborn. The use of two descriptions of Pharaoh’s heart in close succession, along with mention of his servants’ heart condition, underscores the growing extent of the problem.
