Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 14:4/רמב"ן על שמות י״ד:ד׳

אוְחִזַּקְתִּי אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְרָדַף אַחֲרֵיהֶם בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁפָּחַד פַּרְעֹה מֵהֶם בְּמַכַּת הַבְּכוֹרוֹת וּבִקֵּשׁ מֵהֶם "וּבֵרַכְתֶּם גַּם אוֹתִי" (שמות י"ב:ל"ב), לֹא הָיָה בְּלִבּוֹ לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם אֲפִלּוּ אִם יִבְרְחוּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה מֹשֶׁה בָּהֶם כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְעַל כֵּן הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר כִּי הוּא יְחַזֵּק אֶת לִבּוֹ לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם. וּלְמַטָּה (שמות י"ד:י"ז) אָמַר פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת "הִנְנִי מְחַזֵּק אֶת לֵב מִצְרַיִם וְיָבֹאוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם", כִּי בִּרְאוֹתָם שֶׁנִּקְרַע הַיָּם לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֵם הוֹלְכִים בַּיַּבָּשָׁה בְּתוֹכוֹ, אֵיךְ יִמְלָאֵם לִבָּם לָבֹא אַחֲרֵיהֶם לְהָרַע לָהֶם, וְאֵין בְּכָל הַמּוֹפְתִים כַּפֶּלֶא הַזֶּה, וְזֶה בֶּאֱמֶת שִׁגָּעוֹן לָהֶם, אֲבָל סִכֵּל עֲצָתָם וְחִזֵּק אֶת לִבָּם לִכָּנֵס בַּיָּם:

1AND 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,²⁴ 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.²⁵ 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 foolishness²⁶ and strengthened their hearts to enter the sea.