The Meaning of Exodus 14:4 Explained

Exodus 14:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: and I have strengthened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hath pursued after them, and I am honoured on Pharaoh, and on all his force, and the Egyptians have known that I am Jehovah;' and they do so.

Darby: And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he may pursue after them; and I will glorify myself in Pharaoh, and in all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. And they did so.

ASV: And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host: and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. And they did so.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 14:4 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 14:4 mean?

And I will harden - heart of Pharaoh so that he will pursue them and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army that may know Egypt that I [am] Yahweh And they did so
וְחִזַּקְתִּ֣י אֶת־ לֵב־ פַּרְעֹה֮ וְרָדַ֣ף אַחֲרֵיהֶם֒ וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכָל־ חֵיל֔וֹ וְיָדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּֽי־ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־ כֵֽן

וְחִזַּקְתִּ֣י  And  I  will  harden 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
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.
לֵב־  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
פַּרְעֹה֮  of  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
וְרָדַ֣ף  so  that  he  will  pursue 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה  and  I  will  gain  honor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
בְּפַרְעֹה֙  over  Pharaoh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
וּבְכָל־  and  over  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
חֵיל֔וֹ  his  army 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֵיל  
Sense: rampart, fortress, wall.
וְיָדְע֥וּ  that  may  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
מִצְרַ֖יִם  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יְהוָ֑ה  [am]  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־  And  they  did 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כֵֽן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.