What does Exodus 14:8 mean?

While Israel was still enslaved (Exodus 1:11–14), God warned Moses about the stubbornness of Egypt's king, the pharaoh (Exodus 3:19–20). The Lord also noted that, to demonstrate His power, He would make Pharaoh even more obstinate (Exodus 4:21). When this finally happened, it was the result of Pharaoh's own choices. He repeatedly rejected God's commands (Exodus 5:2; 7:12, 14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 34) and broke his word (Exodus 8:15, 31–32; 9:34–35). Now that Israel has been freed (Exodus 12:29–32), God is using Pharaoh as a gruesome example of divine wrath (Proverbs 29:1).

The Israelites are not sneaking away from Egypt in submissiveness. Israel leaves as free and liberated people. Israel's march away from Egyptian enslavement is described with the Hebrew phrase b yād' rāmāh', literally meaning "with a high hand." This expression refers to someone acting with boldness and deliberate intent. The same idea is used to refer to those who sin deliberately (Numbers 15:30).