8151. 'And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh [king of Egypt]' means obstinate opposition from the falsity that arose from evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'hardening the heart' as behaving obstinately, dealt with in 7272, 7300, 7305, 7616. When it says that Jehovah hardened his heart the meaning in the internal sense is that those steeped in evil and falsity hardened themselves, thus that the actual evils and falsities did so. On this matter see 2447, 6071, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7643, 7877, 7926.

7299. 'And Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods' means that this power was taken away from them. This is clear from the meaning of swallowing up' as taking away; and from the meaning of 'rod' as power, dealt with above in 7292. From magicians in the next life too the power to misuse order and pervert its laws is removed, in a two-fold manner - 1 The angels, with the Lord's Divine power, cancel the magicians' magic spells, when these are cast to do ill to the upright. The angels' power from the Lord is so great that all such spells are instantly undone. Exodus 2 Magic is removed from them altogether, so that they can no longer accomplish anything of the sort.