8143. 'And the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people' means a change of state, a change to evil within those steeped in falsities arising from evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'the turning of the heart' as a change of state, to evil (the fact that 'being turned' means undergoing a change - at this point a change of mind, and so a change of state - is self-evident; and for the meaning of 'heart' as evil, see above in 8135); from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as those steeped in falsities arising from evil, dealt with above in 8132; from the meaning of 'servants' as those who belong to a lower rank and minister, and since these are meant, each and every one steeped in falsities arising from evil is meant, 7396; and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those who belong to the spiritual Church. From all this it is evident that 'the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people' means a change of state, a change to evil feelings within all those steeped in falsities arising from evil, directed against those belonging to the spiritual Church.

8135. 'And I will harden Pharaoh's heart' means that the obstinacy of those steeped in falsities arising from evil would still remain. This is clear from the meaning of 'being hardened' as their obstinate determination, dealt with in 7272, 7300, 7305; and from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as those who are steeped in falsities arising from evil, or what amounts to the same thing, those who are lost in damnation, as above in 8132. The words 'Pharaoh's heart' are used because in the genuine sense 'heart' means the good of heavenly love, 3313, 3635, 3883-3896, 7542, and therefore in the contrary sense means evil, at this point the evil of those who have known [the truths of] faith and led a life of evil.