Parashas Shemos · Side page (no TT primary unit)
וַאֲנִ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יִתֵּ֥ן אֶתְכֶ֛ם מֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרַ֖יִם לַהֲלֹ֑ךְ וְלֹ֖א בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה׃
Yet I know that the king of Egypt will let you go only because of a greater might.
Shemos Rabbah 3:9 — EXTRA.
ואני ידעתי כי לא יתן — ראה הקב״ה מה שעתיד פרעה הרשע לעשות, שיוסיף עבודה על העם משעה שילך [משה] בשליחותו.
English: “And I know that he will not let you go” — the Holy One saw what the wicked Pharaoh is destined to do: that he will increase the labor of the people from the moment [Moshe] goes as His emissary.
Custom
Chazal teach that the warning was given so Moshe would not later challenge Heaven when Pharaoh tightened the bondage.