Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 14:5

"And it was told the king of Egypt that the people were fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" — Exodus 14:5 (ASV)

The heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people. —No doubt the change began as soon as Israel began its march. The emigration left Eastern Egypt a solitude, suspended all the royal works that were in progress, threw the whole course of commerce and business into disorder. Beforehand, neither the king nor the people had understood what the loss of six hundred thousand labourers—some of them highly skilled—would be. When Israel was gone, they realised it; consequently both king and people regretted what they had done.