“And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.”
The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. The marching out boldly — literally with a high hand — is the posture of the liberated. Israel is not sneaking out of Egypt or fleeing in disorder; they are marching with the confidence of people whose God has secured their exit. Numbers 33:3 records the same boldly — the departure is a declaration, not an escape. Meanwhile, God hardens Pharaoh's heart for the last time. The hardening that produced the plagues now produces the pursuit, and the pursuit will produce the sea crossing. Each hardening serves a divine purpose; this one will serve the ultimate purpose of destroying Egypt's military force and cementing Israel's knowledge that the Lord fights for them.
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