Pharaoh

<<ruler in ancient Egypt>>

The title used for a succession of kings of Egypt during the period about 3000 BC to 525 BC.  Some of the occurrences mentioned in the Bible are: Abraham had contact with a Pharaoh (Gen12:15-20); the Israelites became slaves as a result of a new Pharaoh’s orders, not knowing Joseph had been so helpful to another previous ruler in a time of famine (Ex 1:1-11);  God gave this new Pharaoh many opportunities to respond to Moses’ requests to let the people go but he refused, and only after the 10th plague were they able to leave (Ex 9:12, 12:31); Solomon married one of the daughters of a Pharaoh (1 Kgs 3:1, 9:16).

God said He raised the Pharaoh of Moses’ day up for the purpose of showing him His power and revealing to the neighbouring nations that there is really only one God who can deliver and whom it is impossible to resist (Ex 9:16).

See also: Egypt, Exodus (Ex), Exodus/the, plagues.