Exodus

Exodus 14:4–9

4And I will hardena 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.

5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.”

6So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him. 7He took 600 of the best chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.

8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly.b 9The Egyptians— all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops— pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon.

Footnotes

  • a 14:4 Or stiffen or strengthen; similarly in verses 8 and 17
  • b 14:8 Or marching out boldly; literally marching out with an upraised hand

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 14:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And I will hardenוְחִזַּקְתִּ֣יwə·ḥiz·zaq·tîConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
Pharaoh’sפַּרְעֹה֮par·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
heartלֵב־lêḇ-Noun - masculine singular constructH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
so that he will pursueוְרָדַ֣ףwə·rā·ḏap̄Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH7291 pursue, chase, persecute
themאַחֲרֵיהֶם֒’a·ḥă·rê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH310 behind
But I will gain honorוְאִכָּבְדָ֤הwə·’ik·kā·ḇə·ḏāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularH3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
by means of Pharaohבְּפַרְעֹה֙bə·p̄ar·‘ōhPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
and allוּבְכָל־ū·ḇə·ḵālConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
his armyחֵיל֔וֹḥê·lōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army
and the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֖יִםmiṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4713 Mitsrite
will knowוְיָדְע֥וּwə·yā·ḏə·‘ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralH3045 know
thatכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Iאֲנִ֣י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
am the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
So this is whatכֵֽן׃ḵênAdverbH3651 right, veritable, honest
the Israelites didוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־way·ya·‘ă·śū-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH6213 do, make

Exodus 14:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When the kingלְמֶ֣לֶךְlə·me·leḵPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
of Egyptמִצְרַ֔יִםmiṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
was toldוַיֻּגַּד֙way·yug·gaḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Hofal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5046 be conspicuous
thatכִּ֥יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the peopleהָעָ֑םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
had fledבָרַ֖חḇā·raḥVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1272 go through, flee
Pharaohפַּרְעֹ֤הpar·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
and his officialsוַעֲבָדָיו֙wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
changedוַ֠יֵּהָפֵךְway·yê·hā·p̄êḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH2015 turn, overturn
their mindsלְבַ֨בlə·ḇaḇNoun - masculine singular constructH3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
aboutאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
and saidוַיֹּֽאמרוּ֙way·yō·m·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
Whatמַה־mah-InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
have we doneעָשִׂ֔ינוּ‘ā·śî·nūVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralH6213 do, make
We have releasedשִׁלַּ֥חְנוּšil·laḥ·nūVerb - Piel - Perfect - first person common pluralH7971 send
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
from serving usמֵעָבְדֵֽנוּ׃mê·‘ā·ḇə·ḏê·nūPreposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common pluralH5647 work, serve

Exodus 14:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Soוַיֶּאְסֹ֖רway·ye’·sōrConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH631 tie, bind, imprison
his chariotרִכְבּ֑וֹriḵ·bōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7393 chariotry, chariot, mill-stone
and tookלָקַ֥חlā·qaḥVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH3947 take
his armyעַמּ֖וֹ‘am·mōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5971 people
with himעִמּֽוֹ׃‘im·mōwPreposition; third person masculine singularH5973 with

Exodus 14:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
He tookוַיִּקַּ֗חway·yiq·qaḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3947 take
600שֵׁשׁ־šêš-Number - feminine singular constructH8337 six
of the bestבָּח֔וּרbā·ḥūrVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularH977 choose
chariotsרֶ֙כֶב֙re·ḵeḇNoun - masculine singularH7393 chariotry, chariot, mill-stone
and allוְכֹ֖לwə·ḵōlConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the other chariotsרֶ֣כֶבre·ḵeḇNoun - masculine singular constructH7393 chariotry, chariot, mill-stone
of Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםmiṣ·rā·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
with officersוְשָׁלִשִׁ֖םwə·šā·li·šimConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine pluralH7991 third
overעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
all of themכֻּלּֽוֹ׃kul·lōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3605 the whole, all

Exodus 14:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And the LORDיְהֹוָ֗הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
hardenedוַיְחַזֵּ֣קway·ḥaz·zêqConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
the heartלֵ֤בlêḇNoun - masculine singular constructH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
of Pharaohפַּרְעֹה֙par·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
kingמֶ֣לֶךְme·leḵNoun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
of Egyptמִצְרַ֔יִםmiṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
so that he pursuedוַיִּרְדֹּ֕ףway·yir·dōp̄Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7291 pursue, chase, persecute
the Israelitesבְּנֵ֣יbə·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
who were marching outיֹצְאִ֖יםyō·ṣə·’îmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH3318 go or come out
defiantlyבְּיָ֥דbə·yāḏPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singularH3027 hand

Exodus 14:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The Egyptiansמִצְרַ֜יִםmiṣ·ra·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4713 Mitsrite
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
Pharaoh’sפַּרְעֹ֔הpar·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
horsesסוּס֙sūsNoun - masculine singular constructH5483 swallow or swift
and chariotsרֶ֣כֶבre·ḵeḇNoun - masculine singular constructH7393 chariotry, chariot, mill-stone
horsemenוּפָרָשָׁ֖יוū·p̄ā·rā·šāwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH6571 horse, steed
and troopsוְחֵיל֑וֹwə·ḥê·lōwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army
pursuedוַיִּרְדְּפ֨וּway·yir·də·p̄ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH7291 pursue, chase, persecute
andאַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם’a·ḥă·rê·hemPreposition; third person masculine pluralH310 behind
overtookוַיַּשִּׂ֤יגוּway·yaś·śî·ḡūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5381 reach, overtake
themאוֹתָם֙’ō·w·ṯāmDirect object marker; third person masculine pluralH853 mark of the accusative
as they campedחֹנִ֣יםḥō·nîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH2583 decline, bend down, encamp
byעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the seaהַיָּ֔םhay·yāmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3220 sea
nearעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
Pi-hahirothהַֽחִירֹ֔תha·ḥî·rōṯNoun - proper - feminine singularH6367 Pi-ha-Chiroth
oppositeלִפְנֵ֖יlip̄·nêPreposition-l; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
Baal-zephonצְפֹֽן׃ṣə·p̄ōnNoun - proper - feminine singularH1189 Baal-Tsephon

Cross-references

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

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

Exodus 14:5 Psalm 105:25

Exodus 14:7 Psalm 20:7 · Exodus 15:4 · Judges 4:3 · Isaiah 37:24 · Exodus 14:23 · Judges 4:15 · Psalm 68:17 · Joshua 17:16–18

Exodus 14:8 Acts 13:17 · Numbers 33:3 · Exodus 13:16 · Deuteronomy 26:8 · Exodus 14:4 · Exodus 6:1 · Psalm 86:13 · Exodus 13:9 · Exodus 13:18 · Deuteronomy 32:27

Exodus 14:9 Exodus 15:9 · Joshua 24:6

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.