Week 3 Exercise 

The goal of this exercise is to have you begin to learn how to use various tools to conduct word studies in the biblical texts. If you have Bible software, this would be a good time to practice using it. The exercise can be accomplished, however, with the free online or library resources I suggest.

1) In the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), list all the times in Exodus where a form of the word "harden" occurs. 
How are you going to accomplish this? Here are three options:

• Bible software (Bibloi, BibleWorks, Logos, etc. cf: Bible Software Programs) works great for a task like this.
• Go to the Online Study Bible at Crosswalk.com. Search for "harden*" in the "Books of the Law" using the "New Revised Standard." (NOTE: be sure to include an asterisk after "harden" so that you get other forms like "hardened," "hardening," etc.)
• In the library reference room, use Kohlenberger's The NRSV Concordance ( BS425 .K645 1991 )

2) Look over this list and categorize them as follows: A) God hardens Pharaoh's heart; B) Pharaoh hardens his heart; C) Unclear use of passive voice.

3) What Hebrew word is being translated with "harden"? (Your response should be the transliterated word or the Strong's number. Hint: You should find three different Hebrew words.)
How are you going to accomplish this? Here are three options:

• Bible software again works great for a task like this.
• Go again to the Online Study Bible at Crosswalk.com. This time search for "harden*" in the "Books of the Law" using the "NAS with Strong's Numbers." Once the results appear, click on the "harden" form in each verse and note the Strong's number or the transliterated word.
• In the library reference room, use Strong's The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible ( BS425 .S8 1980 )

OPTIONAL EXTENDING WORK:

4) What Greek word was used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew of Exodus 4.21?
 How are you going to accomplish this? Here are three options:

• Bible software again works great for a task like this.
• Go to The Unbound Bible. Select "Greek OT Septuagint." Choose Exodus, enter 4 and 21, click Search. (BTW, you might also try the Power Search which will allow you to select 2 additional versions to view. Try using an English version along with the Hebrew OT and Greek OT.)
• In the library reference room, use either Brenton's Septuagint ( BS742 .B74 1983 ) or Rahlf's Septuaginta ( BS41 .R2 1935 )

5) From your result in #3, note the Hebrew word used for "harden" in Exodus 4.21. Where else is this word used in Exodus?
How are you going to accomplish this? Here are three options:

• Bible software again works great for a task like this. (Be sure to search on the root form of the Hebrew word.)
• From the Online Study Bible at Crosswalk.com, click "harden" in Exodus 4.21. Once the result appears, note the column indicating "NAS Verse Count" telling how many times the word is used in each book. Click on "Exodus." Look through the list and especially note where it is translated with "urged."
• In the library reference room, use Strong's The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible ( BS425 .S8 1980 )

6) Your work in #5 should have highlighted Exodus 12.33. Look up this verse in the NET Bible and check the footnotes. What do you find?

7) From your result in #4, look up where this Greek word is used in the NT.

• Use the Online Study Bible at Crosswalk.com. Choose "Lexicons" in the left menu. Choose "NT Greek Lexicon." Type "harden," and look for it in the New American Standard. The results will show 2 Greek words. Pick the one you found in #4 above. You should get 6 instances in the NT.
  or
• At the The Unbound Bible site, choose "Power Search." Select "Greek NT NA 26/27." Select NT below it for your range. Type in the transliteration (or, back in #4, double click to highlight the Greek word, copy, now paste it in the search box) and check "Inflect Greek Search Terms."