Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 14:17
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
17, 18. The Pharaoh’s heart is still further ‘hardened,’ in order that he may be emboldened even to enter the sea after the Israelites. The expressions are substantially as in v. 4.
get me honour (or glory)] See on v. 4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians,…. That they shall have no sense of danger, and be fearless of it, incautious and thoughtless, hurried on with wrath and fury, malice and revenge:
and they shall follow them; the Israelites into the sea, supposing it to be as safe for the one as the other:
and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen: by the utter destruction of them, in just retaliation for the many innocent infants that had been drowned by them in the river Nile.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. I will harden. God once more affirms, for the greater exaltation of His own power, that He will harden the Egyptians, so that, as if devoted to destruction, they may cast themselves into the midst of the sea; which they certainly would never have done, unless He had guided their hearts by his secret influence; because it could not have escaped them that a passage for the Israelites was opened by His special gift, from whence they might gather that the elements were at war with them. Therefore they would never have dared to enter the sea, which they saw to be armed against them, unless they had been blinded by God. Whence it appears how unworthy is the imagination of those who pretend that there was but a bare permission here, where God would make His power conspicuous. It would have been enough that after the Israelites had passed over to the opposite shore the sea should have returned to its place and prevented the Egyptians from following; but God was willing, by a double miracle, to consult for the security of His people for a long’ time to come. And this, indeed, came to pass; for the flower of the whole nation being destroyed, the Egyptians were unable to recruit their army; especially when the heir to the throne had already been slain, and the king himself was now taken away. On this account it is said, that the Egyptians should know that the God of Israel was the Lord; because in this last act they found that the power of rebellion was altogether taken from them.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
17. I will get me honour Namely, by their complete overthrow in, such manner that it shall be manifest to all that “the Lord is the man of war” who accomplishes this destruction. Chariots horsemen. (See cut on p. 85.)
The cut on this page, from a Theban tomb, represents the different kinds of Egyptian infantry, with their arms.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 14:17. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians That is, I will suffer the hearts of the Egyptians to be hardened by their own violent and infatuating passions. See the note on ch. Exo 9:34. I will get me honour] The original word signifies, to be glorified. Exo 14:19. The Angel of God, which went] The Divine Messenger and Leader of the Israelites, who, as we have heretofore shewn, was Christ, caused the miraculous pillar to intervene between them and the Egyptians, in such a manner, that it gave perfect light in the night (in that night, about the beginning of which the dreadful order was given to Moses, Exo 14:16.) to the Israelites, while it was complete darkness to the Egyptians, and entirely secluded the host of Israel from their sight, Exo 14:20. Houbigant remarks, that it is plain, from this place, that the cloud was dark on one side, and lucid on the other.
REFLECTIONS.Moses speaks the language of confidence to the people, and lifts up his heart in prayer to God. Prayer and faith are mutual helpers: faith quickens prayer, and prayer strengthens faith, Observe,
1. God’s direction to Moses: Go forward. Whither, into the sea? No, to the sea, and trust for the rest. Note; However dangerous and dark the way of duty; when we go forward, God will take care of the event. The sea shall be divided; and that which affords a passage to Israel, shall be the grave of the Egyptians. Thus God will get honour from both; in his mercies on the one, in his judgments on the other. Note; The damnation of the sinner shall as surely redound to the glory of God, as the salvation of his saints.
2. The guard he sets to preserve his people from the Egyptians. The cloud removes between them; a light to guide the one through the sea, and a barrier to prevent the other from approaching to hurt them. This pillar of the cloud still stands in the same aspect. To the impenitent sinner, every prospect is covered with darkness: to the child of God, light surrounds his path: and as their present ways are directed, so will be their end. The darkness of sin will lead down to the darkness of eternal death: the light of Grace will conduct us to eternal light and life in glory.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Again and again this sovereignty is held forth. Isa 1:24 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 14:17 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.
Ver. 17. I will harden. ] See on Exo 9:35 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I, behold, I. Figure of speech Epizeuxis, for emphasis. App-6.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
chariots. Hebrew, singular chariot. Note the alternation.
Pharaoh (singular)
His host (plural)
Pharaoh’s chariot (singular)
His horsemen (plural)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Exo 14:4
behold: Gen 6:17, Gen 9:9, Lev 26:28, Deu 32:39, Isa 48:15, Isa 51:12, Jer 23:39, Eze 5:8, Eze 6:3, Eze 34:11, Eze 34:20, Hos 5:14
I will: Exo 14:8, Exo 4:23, Exo 7:3, Exo 7:13, Exo 7:14
and I will: Exo 14:18
Reciprocal: Gen 50:9 – chariots Exo 9:16 – deed Exo 10:1 – that I Exo 14:23 – General Exo 15:1 – for Num 18:6 – And I 1Sa 6:6 – the Egyptians Job 9:4 – who hath hardened Psa 33:16 – no king Isa 6:10 – the heart Isa 63:12 – to make Eze 20:10 – General Eze 28:22 – I will Hab 3:14 – the head Hag 2:22 – and I will overthrow the chariots Joh 12:40 – hardened Rom 2:5 – But after Rom 9:17 – that