Exodus 14:8

8 And the Lord made hard the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the sons of Israel; and they were gone out in an high hand. (And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites; and they went forth with great defiance.)

Exodus 14:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 14:8

And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt
As he said he would, ( Exodus 14:4 ) ,

and he pursued after the children of Israel;
took their rout in pursuit of them:

and the children of Israel went out with an high hand:
not once dreaming they should be pursued by Pharaoh as an enemy, when they went out with his full consent, and with such pressing solicitations to be gone, and with so much favour shown them by the Egyptians; wherefore they set out, and went on with great boldness, courage, and intrepidity; "with an uncovered head", as the Targum of Onkelos, without any fear, and with great alacrity and cheerfulness; they carried both their heads and their hands high, were fearless and thoughtless of any danger when this mighty preparation was making against them.

Exodus 14:8 In-Context

6 Therefore Pharaoh joined (up) the chariot, and took with him all his people; (And so Pharaoh joined up his chariot, and took all his people with him;)

7 and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and whatever thing of chariots was in Egypt, and [the] dukes of all the host. (and he took six hundred of the choicest chariots, and whatever other chariots were in Egypt, and all the leaders of his army.)

8 And the Lord made hard the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the sons of Israel; and they were gone out in an high hand. (And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites; and they went forth with great defiance.)

9 And when the Egyptians pursued the steps of the sons of Israel before-going, they found them in tents on the sea; (and) all the chivalry, and [the] chariots of Pharaoh, and all the host were in Pihahiroth, against Baalzephon. (And the Egyptians, yea, all the cavalry, and the chariots, and all of Pharaoh's army, pursued the steps of the Israelites who had gone forth before them; and they found them in their tents by the Red Sea, by Pihahiroth, and east of Baalzephon.)

10 And when Pharaoh had nighed, the sons of Israel raised [up] their eyes, and they saw the Egyptians behind them, and they dreaded greatly (and they greatly feared); and they cried to the Lord,