Secondary Intentions

You must be cunning to be able to teach some one a lesson while you help them in some other problem. I, for one, haven't been able to achieve this manipulative control over anybody... yet. God, however, was able to kindle faith on the Hebrews' hearts without them realizing it when he "hardened the heart of the Pharaoh, and he harkened not unto them" (Ex. 9.12). I believe he did this because he was sure he would be able to free the Hebrews from their slavery, but he had to make the feat appear difficult and he had to make the Hebrews think that the Pharaoh's stubbornness was no match for his power, to ensure his peoples' unconditional faith in his power. He had to make an image of himself that would inspire awe in the hearts of the slaves.