Exodus 14:5

When it was reported ¹  to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, ²  the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and the king and his servants said, ³  “What in the world have we done? ⁴  For we have released the people of Israel ⁵  from serving us!”

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!"

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"

When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites were not planning to return to Egypt after three days, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. "What have we done, letting all these slaves get away?" they asked.

When the king of Egypt was told that the people were gone, he and his servants changed their minds. They said, "What have we done, letting Israel, our slave labor, go free?"

And word came to Pharaoh of the flight of the people: and the feeling of Pharaoh and of his servants about the people was changed, and they said, Why have we let Israel go, so that they will do no more work for us?

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed toward the people, and they said, "What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?"

Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, "Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"

When it was reported ¹  to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, ²  the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and the king and his servants said, ³  “What in the world have we done? ⁴  For we have released the people of Israel ⁵  from serving us!”

¹ tn Heb “and it was told.” The present translation uses “reported,” since this involves information given to a superior.

² tn The verb must be given a past perfect translation because the fleeing occurred before the telling.

³ tn Heb “and they said.” The referent (the king and his servants) is supplied for clarity.

⁴ 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).

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