Comentario sobre Exodo 14:4

ואכבדה בפרעה AND I WILL BE HONOURED THROUGH PHARAOH — When the Holy One, blessed be He, takes vengeance on the wicked His name is magnified and honoured. Thus, too, it states, (Ezekiel 38:22, 23) “And I will plead against him [with pestilence and with blood etc.]”, and afterwards, “Thus I shall be magnified and sanctified etc.” And it states, (Psalms 76:3) “There He broke the fiery shafts of the bow”, and afterwards (after He has done this) (v. 2) “In Judah is God known. “Further it states, (Psalms 9:17) “The Lord is known because He executeth judgment” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 14:4:2).

AND I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART, AND HE SHALL PURSUE AFTER THEM. Because Pharaoh feared them at the plague of the firstborn and he asked them and bless me also,²⁴Above, 12:32. he was not disposed to pursue after the Israelites even if they were to flee, and he would rather have Moses do with them as he pleases. Therefore, it was necessary to state that G-d hardened his heart to pursue after them. Further on, it says once more, And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them.²⁵Further, Verse 17. After the Egyptians saw that the sea had split before the children of Israel and that they walked in the midst of the sea upon dry land, which is the most outstanding wonder of all wonders, how could they be disposed to come in after them to harm them! This was indeed madness on their part. But it was He Who turned their counsel into foolishness²⁶See II Samuel 15:31. and strengthened their hearts to enter the sea.

וחזקתי את לב פרעה, “I shall stiffen the heart of Pharaoh;” seeing that Pharaoh lately had become so humiliated, unless G’d would give him back some self-confidence, he would not dare to pursue the Israelites whom he himself had not only chased out, but had begged to offer prayers on his behalf. Without such Divine intervention, even if Pharaoh should have reached the conclusion that the Israelites had fled, he would not, in his present state of mind, have the audacity to mount a pursuit.