Exodus 14:5

Exodus 14:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
• New International Version (NIV)When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”

Context of Exodus 14:5

3Pharaoh will think regarding the Israelites, ‘They are wandering around confused in the land – the desert has closed in on them.’ 4I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them. I will gain honor because of Pharaoh and because of all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So this is what they did. When it was reported to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and the king and his servants said, “What in the world have we done? For we have released the people of Israel from serving us!” 6Then he prepared his chariots and took his army with him. 7He took six hundred select chariots, and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, and officers on all of them.

Exodus 14:5 word by word

וַיֻּגַּד֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם כִּ֥י בָרַ֖ח הָעָ֑ם וַ֠יֵּהָפֵךְ לְבַ֨ב פַּרְעֹ֤ה וַעֲבָדָיו֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם וַיֹּֽאמרוּ֙ מַה־זֹּ֣את עָשִׂ֔ינוּ כִּֽי־שִׁלַּ֥חְנוּ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵעָבְדֵֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it was toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• that the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• fledבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
• and the heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• of Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
• and of his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• was turnedהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• and they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Why have we doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• this, that we have let Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• goשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: let goH7971
• from servingעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647

Cross-references for Exodus 14:5

• Exodus 12:33The Egyptians were urging the people on, in order to send them out of the land quickly, for they were saying, “We are all dead!”
• Psalms 105:25He caused them to hate his people, and to mistreat his servants.
• Jeremiah 34:10All the people and their leaders had agreed to this. They had agreed to free their male and female slaves and not keep them enslaved any longer. They originally complied with the covenant and freed them.
• Luke 11:24“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’
• 2 Peter 2:20For if after they have escaped the filthy things of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again get entangled in them and succumb to them, their last state has become worse for them than their first.

Commentaries on Exodus 14:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5And it was told the king - that the people fled - Of their departure he could not be ignorant, because himself had given them liberty to depart: but the word fled here may be understood as implying that they had utterly left Egypt without any intention to return, which is probably what he did not expect, for he had only given them permission to go three days' journey into the wilderness, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah; but from the circumstances of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5The people fled - This was a natural inference from the change of direction, which indicated a determination to escape from Egypt. Up to the time when that information reached Pharaoh both he and his people understood that the Israelites would return after keeping a festival in the district adjoining Etham. From Etham the intelligence would be forwarded by the commander of the garrison to Rameses in less than a day, and the cavalry, a highly-disciplined…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-14Pharaoh and his officials did not truly repent. Once the immediate fear faded, they focused on their own interests and they determined to recapture their slave labor.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, &c.--Alas, how soon the obduracy of this reprobate king reappears! He had been convinced, but not converted--overawed, but not sanctified by the appalling judgments of heaven. He bitterly repented of what he now thought a hasty concession. Pride and revenge, the honor of his kingdom, and the interests of his subjects, all prompted him to recall his permission to reclaim those…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 14:5

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Character
• Egypt
• Egyptians
• Government
• Impenitence
• Instability
• Israel
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Israel
• Pharaoh
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Pharaoh, king of Egypt
• Better
• Cover
• Heavily

Commentaries on Exodus 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings