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Exodus 14:17

in Exodus 14

And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. Then I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army and chariots and horsemen.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

KJV

And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

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This verse in Exodus 14

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

The manner of expression is observable: I, behold I, will do it. "I, that may do it;" so it is the language of his sovereignty. We may not contribute to the hardening of any man's heart, nor withhold any thing that we can do towards the softening of it; but God's grace is his own, he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will be hardeneth.

This site's exposition

I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians

on Exodus 14:17-18

This is the last of the nineteen hardening statements in Exodus, and it widens from one man to a whole army. The purpose given twice is that the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, the reason attached to the first sign at 7:5.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

Lines that could not be forced are set between the camp of Israel and Pharaoh's camp, ver. 19, 20. By the divine power the Red-sea is divided, ver. 21. and is made, 1.

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And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

God designs, not only to deliver the Israelites, but to destroy the Egyptians; and the plan of his counsels is accordingly. (1.) He will show favour to Israel; the waters shall be divided for them to pass through,

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Note, It is very common, but very absurd and criminal, for people to repent of their good deeds; their justice and charity, and even their repentance, are repented of.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? &c.--When in answer to his prayers, he received the divine command to go forward, he no longer doubted by what kind of miracle the salvation of his mighty charge was to be effected.

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The words behind it

14 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַאֲנִ֗יand I

    vaaniH589 →874 times

  • הִנְנִ֤יhere I

    hiniH2005 →316 times

  • מְחַזֵּק֙[am] about to make strong

    mechazekH2388 →291 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • לֵ֣ב[the] heart of

    levH3820 →595 times

  • מִצְרַ֔יִםEgypt

    mitzrayimH4713 →70 times

  • וְיָבֹ֖אוּso they may go

    veyavouH935 →2568 times

  • אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑םafter them

    ʾachareihemH310 →715 times

  • וְאִכָּבְדָ֤הand I will gain honor

    veikavedahH3513 →113 times

  • בְּפַרְעֹה֙by Pharaoh

    befarohH6547 →274 times

  • וּבְכָל־and by all

    uvekhol-H3605 →5413 times

  • חֵיל֔וֹarmy his

    cheiloH2428 →246 times

  • בְּרִכְבּ֖וֹby chariot[s] his

    berikhboH7393 →119 times

  • וּבְפָרָשָֽׁיו׃and by horsemen his

    uvefarashavH6571 →57 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 14:8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly.7 worksJohn 12:40“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”7 worksExodus 14:4And I will harden 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.6 works1 Samuel 6:6Why harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs? When He afflicted them, did they not send the people on their way as they departed?6 worksExodus 9:16But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.5 worksEzekiel 34:20Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.4 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Ezekiel 34:11For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.4 worksDeuteronomy 32:39See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.4 worksIsaiah 48:15I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I have brought him, and he will succeed in his mission.3 worksEzekiel 5:8Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations.3 worksEzekiel 6:3You are to say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.3 worksExodus 7:13–14Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.3 worksIsaiah 51:12“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?3 worksGenesis 6:17And behold, I will bring floodwaters upon the earth to destroy every creature under the heavens that has the breath of life. Everything on the earth will perish.3 worksExodus 14:23And the Egyptians chased after them—all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen—and followed them into the sea.3 worksEzekiel 28:22And you are to declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, and I will be glorified within you. They will know that I am the LORD when I execute judgments against her and demonstrate My holiness through her.3 worksJoshua 11:20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.3 worksExodus 7:3But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I will multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Deuteronomy 32:39

    See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My…

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 2:6

      The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

    • Hosea 6:1

      Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.

    • Job 5:18

      For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal.

    • Isaiah 45:5

      I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will equip you for battle, though you have not known Me,

    • Isaiah 45:22

      Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

  • Through

    Ezekiel 34:11

    For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.

    it leads to

    • John 10:16

      I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

    • Luke 19:10

      For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

    • Jeremiah 23:3

      Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have banished them, and I will return them to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and…

Where this verse is studied

About Exodus

The Egyptians Drown in the Sea — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
The Egyptians Drown in the Sea — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Exodus: the study guide →Read Exodus 14 →

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Exodus 14 →