Exodus 9:34

9:34 When Pharaoh saw ¹  that the rain and hail and thunder ceased, he sinned again: ²  both he and his servants hardened ³  their hearts.

Exodus 14:5

14:5 When it was reported ⁴  to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, ⁵  the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and the king and his servants said, ⁶  “What in the world have we done? ⁷  For we have released the people of Israel ⁸  from serving us!”

[9:34]  ¹ tn The clause beginning with the preterite and vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated to the next, and main clause – that he hardened his heart again.

[9:34]  ² tn The construction is another verbal hendiadys: וַיֹּסֶף לַחֲטֹּא (vayyosef lakhatto’), literally rendered “and he added to sin.” The infinitive construct becomes the main verb, and the Hiphil preterite becomes adverbial. The text is clearly interpreting as sin the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and his refusal to release Israel. At the least this means that the plagues are his fault, but the expression probably means more than this – he was disobeying Yahweh God.

[9:34]  ³ tn This phrase translates the Hebrew word כָּבֵד (kaved); see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53.

[14:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “and it was told.” The present translation uses “reported,” since this involves information given to a superior.

[14:5]  ⁵ tn The verb must be given a past perfect translation because the fleeing occurred before the telling.

[14:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “and they said.” The referent (the king and his servants) is supplied for clarity.

[14:5]  ⁷ tn The question literally is “What is this we have done?” The demonstrative pronoun is used as an enclitic particle for emphasis (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).

[14:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “released Israel.” By metonymy the name of the nation is used collectively for the people who constitute it (the Israelites).