The Hebrew Bible is a mystery, with every word a clue that raises more questions than it answers. Take the root word כבד (kvd). At its most concrete, this word means “weight.” One of the places it appears is in the chapters about the plagues in the Book of Exodus, which state several times that Pharaoh’s heart is “hardened.” In fact, three different verbs are used to describe what happens to Pharaoh’s heart. What is the significance of each of them? Elsewhere in Exodus, כבד means “honor,” notably in the commandment to honor thy father and mother. How can one word describe what happens to Pharaoh’s heart, preventing him from freeing the Israelite slaves despite the display of God’s power, and also describe the attitude one should have to one’s parents?

My fellow detective in this matter was a man named Robert Sacks.