Tafsiran Keluaran 14:4: Rashi, Chizkuni, Ramban & Tur HaArokh

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).

ורדף אחריהם, “he will pursue them;” when Pharaoh would engage them in battle they would attempt to flee, and he would pursue them. He would become guilty in the eyes of G-d for not allowing them to return to Egypt [as they had promised they would. Ed.] As a result of this they could not be blamed for not bringing back the valuables that they had “borrowed.” At any rate, the houses and fields that they had left behind amounted to more in value than the chattels they had taken with them.

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.

בפרעה ובכל חילו THROUGH PHARAOH AND THROUGH ALL HIS FORCES — He began the wrongdoing and with him began the punishment (Mekhilta; cf. Rashi on Exodus 7:28).

ויעשו כן AND THEY DID SO — This is stated in order to tell their praise — that they hearkened to Moses and did not say, How can we move nearer to our enemies; we ought rather to flee,” but they said, ‘‘It is ours only to carry out the bidding of the son of Amram” (cf. Mekhilta).