We are in chapter fourteen of Exodus with our word for today which is actually a phrase. וַ֠יֵּהָפֵךְ לְבַ֨ב change one’s mind, change one’s heart. It is used 4 times in the Old Testament. Our phrase is used of God changing his mind in the sense of not carrying out judgment that is deserved. Hosea 11:8-9 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?... נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ עָלַי֙ לִבִּ֔יMy heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. The other three uses are of God changing a person’s mind or heart. We find our phrase used when God changes Saul’s heart right after Samuel anoints him to be King of Israel. 1 Samuel 10:6, 9 The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you…As Saul turned to leave Samuel, וַיַּהֲפָךְ־ל֥וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵ֣ב God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day.
We also see our phrase used to describe the change of attitude that God brought about of the Egyptians toward the Hebrew people after Joseph died. Psalm 105:24-25 The Lord made his people very fruitful; he made them too numerous for their foes, הָפַ֣ךְ לִ֭בָּם whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants. God either caused or allowed this to set up the circumstances of growing a vast nation and showing his power to rescue his people from slavery. This is how our phrase is used in our chapter today. Exodus 14:5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, וַ֠יֵּהָפֵךְ לְבַ֨ב the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” What helps us understand our phrase better especially how it is used here is to look at how our word הָפַךְ in our phrase is sometimes used. הָפַךְ turn, over turn, to be changed. It is used 94 times in the Old Testament. If we look at how the word is used earlier in Exodus, it helps us better understand the meaning with Pharaoh’s heart. Exodus 7:17, 20 With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, וְנֶהֶפְכ֥וּ and it will be changed into blood…Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water וַיֵּהָֽפְכ֛וּ was changed into blood. Here the word is used in the sense of changing from one thing water to another. So in our chapter we could say Pharaoh’s heart was for letting the people go but then it changed into something else it became why did we let them go. God is doing this to bring about his glory and so that everyone will know that God is really the true I Am who is reality. I’ll close with these great verses of worship to the true God of reality our sovereign almighty God. Romans 16:27 To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Jude 24-25 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
