The Meaning of Exodus 14:8 Explained

Exodus 14:8

KJV: And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

YLT: and Jehovah strengtheneth the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursueth after the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel are going out with a high hand,

Darby: And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel; and the children of Israel had gone out with a high hand.

ASV: And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  hardened  the heart  of Pharaoh  king  of Egypt,  and he pursued  after  the children  of Israel:  and the children  of Israel  went out  with an high  hand. 

What does Exodus 14:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 14:1-9 - The People Are Led Out And Pursued
There were two routes to Canaan, the nearest through the land of the Philistines; but to take that would have exposed the Hebrews to the very sights that so dismayed the twelve spies. See Numbers 33:1-56. They might have had to fight every mile of advance. This would have been too great an ordeal for their young faith. So God, like the mother eagle, bore them on His wings. The Angel who conducted the march in the cloud chariot, led them about. Thus God deals with us still, tempering the wind to the shorn lamb. Patience and faith are still severely tested by the circuitous and laborious route, but when in the afterwards we understand God's reasons, we are satisfied. There are many lessons learned on the wilderness route. How often God leads us into what seem to be impossible positions, that in our absolute extremity there may be room for Him to work. All is love. See Psalms 136:1-26. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 14

1  God instructs the Israelites in their journey
5  Pharaoh pursues after them
10  The Israelites murmur
13  Moses comforts them
15  God instructs Moses
19  The cloud removes behind the camp
21  The Israelites pass through the Red sea, which drowns the Egyptians

What do the individual words in Exodus 14:8 mean?

And hardened Yahweh - the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued after the sons of Israel and the sons of Israel went out with boldness
וַיְחַזֵּ֣ק יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶת־ לֵ֤ב פַּרְעֹה֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּרְדֹּ֕ף אַחֲרֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֹצְאִ֖ים בְּיָ֥ד רָמָֽה

וַיְחַזֵּ֣ק  And  hardened 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
יְהֹוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לֵ֤ב  the  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
פַּרְעֹה֙  of  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מִצְרַ֔יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וַיִּרְדֹּ֕ף  and  he  pursued 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
אַחֲרֵ֖י  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וּבְנֵ֣י  and  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יֹצְאִ֖ים  went  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
רָמָֽה  boldness 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.