Exodus

Exodus 14:2–4

²“Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal-zephon.

³For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are wandering the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.’ ⁴And I will harden^a Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. But I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”

So this is what the Israelites did.

Footnotes

a 14:4 Or stiffen or strengthen; similarly in verses 8 and 17

Read all of Exodus 14

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 14:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Tell	דַּבֵּר֮	dab·bêr	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H1696 speak
the Israelites	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
turn back	וְיָשֻׁ֗בוּ	wə·yā·šu·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7725 turn back, return
and encamp	וְיַחֲנוּ֙	wə·ya·ḥă·nū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2583 decline, bend down, encamp
before	לִפְנֵי֙	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Pi-hahiroth	הַחִירֹ֔ת	ha·ḥî·rōṯ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H6367 Pi-ha-Chiroth
between	בֵּ֥ין	bên	Preposition	H996 interval, space between
Migdol	מִגְדֹּ֖ל	miḡ·dōl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4024 tower
and the sea	הַיָּ֑ם	hay·yām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3220 sea
You are to encamp	תַחֲנ֖וּ	ṯa·ḥă·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H2583 decline, bend down, encamp
by	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the sea	הַיָּֽם׃	hay·yām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3220 sea
directly opposite	לִפְנֵי֙	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Baal-zephon	צְפֹ֔ן	ṣə·p̄ōn	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1189 Baal-Tsephon

Exodus 14:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For Pharaoh	פַּרְעֹה֙	par·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
will say	וְאָמַ֤ר	wə·’ā·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
of the Israelites	יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
They	הֵ֖ם	hêm	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
are wandering the land	בָּאָ֑רֶץ	bā·’ā·reṣ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
in confusion	נְבֻכִ֥ים	nə·ḇu·ḵîm	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H943 perplex, confuse
the wilderness	הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃	ham·miḏ·bār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth
has boxed them	סָגַ֥ר	sā·ḡar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5462 shut, close
in	עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height

Exodus 14:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And I will harden	וְחִזַּקְתִּ֣י	wə·ḥiz·zaq·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
Pharaoh’s	פַּרְעֹה֮	par·‘ōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
heart	לֵב־	lêḇ-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
so that he will pursue	וְרָדַ֣ף	wə·rā·ḏap̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H7291 pursue, chase, persecute
them	אַחֲרֵיהֶם֒	’a·ḥă·rê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H310 behind
But I will gain honor	וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה	wə·’ik·kā·ḇə·ḏāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
by means of Pharaoh	בְּפַרְעֹה֙	bə·p̄ar·‘ōh	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6547 Pharaoh
and all	וּבְכָל־	ū·ḇə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
his army	חֵיל֔וֹ	ḥê·lōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army
and the Egyptians	מִצְרַ֖יִם	miṣ·ra·yim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4713 Mitsrite
will know	וְיָדְע֥וּ	wə·yā·ḏə·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H3045 know
that	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I	אֲנִ֣י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
So this is what	כֵֽן׃	ḵên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
the Israelites did	וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־	way·ya·‘ă·śū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6213 do, make

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Exodus 14:2 Jeremiah 44:1 · Numbers 33:7–8 · Exodus 13:17–18 · Exodus 14:9 · Jeremiah 46:14

Exodus 14:3 Acts 4:28 · Ezekiel 38:17 · Psalm 139:4

Exodus 14:4 Romans 9:22–23 · Exodus 7:5 · Romans 9:17 · Exodus 9:16 · Exodus 7:3

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.