See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet (Exod. 7:1). Just as the lecturer sits and lectures, and the interpreter explains his words, so you shall relate everything that I have commanded, and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh (ibid., v. 2). Through the two of you shall all these things be done, as it is said: And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh (ibid. 11:10). They both spoke to Pharaoh, even though he was told: Thou shall speak (ibid. 7:2). Moses said to Him: Master of the Universe, I will not be able to convince him with words, as it is said: A servant will not be corrected by words (Prov. 29:19).
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, etc. (Exod. 7:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Moses, you shall speak, and I will bring the plague. Moreover, He stated, in this world I will obtain retribution from the Egyptians through the ten plagues, but in the future I will obtain retribution for you from Gog and Magog, as it is said: And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his bands and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower (Ezek. 38:22).
רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ יִהְיֶה נְבִיאֶךָ. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַדּוֹרֵשׁ יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ וְהַתֻּרְגְּמָן מַשְׁמִיעַ לְפָנָיו, כָּךְ אַתָּה תְדַבֵּר אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּךָּ, וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ יְדַבֵּר אֶל פַּרְעֹה, וְעַל יְדֵי שְׁנֵיכֶם יִהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂים כָּל הַדְּבָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עָשׂוּ אֶת כָּל הַמּוֹפְתִים הָאֵלֶּה. הֵם הַמְדַבְּרִים אֶל פַּרְעֹה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לוֹ: אַתָּה תְדַבֵּר. אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֵינִי מְשַׁלְּחוֹ בִּדְבָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בִּדְבָרִים לֹא יִוָּסֶר עָבֶד (משלי כט, יט).
See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet (Exod. 7:1). Just as the lecturer sits and lectures, and the interpreter explains his words, so you shall relate everything that I have commanded, and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh (ibid., v. 2). Through the two of you shall all these things be done, as it is said: And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh (ibid. 11:10). They both spoke to Pharaoh, even though he was told: Thou shall speak (ibid. 7:2). Moses said to Him: Master of the Universe, I will not be able to convince him with words, as it is said: A servant will not be corrected by words (Prov. 29:19).
אָמַר לוֹ: וַאֲנִי אַקְשֶׁה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מֹשֶׁה, אַתָּה תְדַבֵּר וַאֲנִי מֵבִיא מַכָּה. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה פָּרַעְתִּי מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּעֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת. אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד אֲנִי נִפְרָע לָכֶם מִגּוֹג וּמָגוֹג, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּי אִתּוֹ בְּדֶבֶר וּבְדָם וְגֶשֶׁם שׁוֹטֵף וְאַבְנֵי אֶלְגָּבִישׁ אֵשׁ וְגָפְרִית אַמְטִיר עָלָיו וְעַל אֲגַפָּיו וְעַל עַמִּים רַבִּים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ (יחזקאל לח, כב).
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, etc. (Exod. 7:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Moses, you shall speak, and I will bring the plague. Moreover, He stated, in this world I will obtain retribution from the Egyptians through the ten plagues, but in the future I will obtain retribution for you from Gog and Magog, as it is said: And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his bands and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower (Ezek. 38:22).