Shortly after the Israelites’ release, a sharp political and psychological shift takes place in the Egyptian royal palace. The reality sets in that the Israelites have not merely left for a brief religious holiday in the desert, but have permanently departed, taking with them the nation's primary labor force. The Egyptians deeply regret releasing the Israelites from their manual labor [רשב״ם, רש״י, בכור שור].
The realization that the Israelites had no intention of returning came about in different ways. One perspective suggests that Pharaoh sent agents to monitor the journey. When the initially requested three days passed without a return, these agents hurried back on the fourth day to inform the king, setting off a pursuit that would culminate at the Red Sea on the seventh day of Passover [רש״י, רמב״ן, חזקוני]. Another approach argues that the Israelites' own actions gave them away. By deviating from the direct route and turning back, they appeared lost and confused. This erratic movement resembled the panic of runaway slaves rather than the confident march of a free people celebrating a festival, signaling to the Egyptians that this was a permanent escape [רמב״ן, ספורנו, רשב״ם, שד״ל, מלבי״ם, קאסוטו]. Some suggest that this fearful, fleeing behavior specifically came from the mixed multitude that had joined the Israelites on their journey [כלי יקר, אור החיים, נחל קדומים].
This sudden desire to chase after the Israelites is surprising, considering that only days earlier, the Egyptians had begged them to leave following the Plague of the Firstborn. This profound change of heart was driven by both theological and practical reasons. Theologically, reports of the Israelites wandering aimlessly led Pharaoh to assume that God's power was limited. He believed that the Egyptian idol Baal Zephon had blocked their path, or that Moses had orchestrated a massive deception from the very beginning [ספורנו, מלבי״ם, אלשיך, ביאור יש״ר].
On a practical level, the devastating economic reality finally dawned on Egypt. They understood that they had lost the foundational workforce of their country, severely damaging their way of life [שד״ל, קאסוטו, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This was compounded by intense regret over the vast wealth and property the Israelites had borrowed and taken with them [רש״י, לבוש האורה, חתם סופר]. The Egyptians recognized their grave error in failing to establish clear conditions or demand guarantees for the return of the Israelite leaders [העמק דבר, פענח רזא]. As the king and his servants processed this disaster, they did not turn on one another. Instead, they shared the blame equally, collectively acknowledging their mistake in letting their workforce go [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].