Bible Strands
Exodus 14:4
And 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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God declares this to Moses just before the Israelites cross the sea, immediately preceding Pharaoh’s change of mind and pursuit (Exodus 14:3–5). The statement occurs before the crossing, establishing God’s prior knowledge of Pharaoh’s actions.
The words — חִזַּקְתִּי (chi.zak.ti) literally means “I will make strong,” describing God’s act of strengthening Pharaoh’s heart to pursue them. אִכָּבְדָה ('i.ka.ve.dah) means “I will gain honor,” indicating the divine purpose behind the coming confrontation.
The thread — This theme of God hardening Pharaoh to display His power recurs in Exodus 7:5 and is explicitly linked to divine sovereignty in Romans 9:17 and Romans 9:22.
Why it lands — The text states that God will sovereignly direct Pharaoh’s pursuit to reveal His identity and power to Egypt. It asks the reader to recognize that historical conflict serves a revealed purpose rather than operating outside divine control.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
Cross-references
- Romans 9:22 What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
- Exodus 7:5 And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”
- Romans 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
- Exodus 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I will multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,
- Exodus 9:16 But 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.
- Exodus 4:21 The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
- Exodus 7:17 This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.
- Ezekiel 28:22 And 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.
- Exodus 7:13 Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
- Exodus 14:8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly.