Oppression in Egypt
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| 1 ¶ Now these are the
names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his
household came with Jacob.
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. .7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. |
1
- Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into
Egypt This is six words in Hebrew. The same Hebrew clause appears
in ge4608.
5 - Seventy See on ge4626f. 7 - Increased abundantly This blessing ge1316 became a concern for the Egyptian king. Also see v12 and v20. |
| 8 ¶ Now there arose
up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. |
8
- Knew not Joseph Godly Joseph had had a strong influence.
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| .11
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their
burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
.12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. |
11 - Taskmasters Work superintendents. Compare ex0506. |
| 15 ¶ And the king of
Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah,
and the name of the other Puah:
.16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. |
16
- Kill him Certainly a crime before God.
19 - Hebrew women are lively This was no doubt true. The women probably had hard physical labor as slaves and didn't need much help in childbirth. Of course they had good incentive not to call for it. If this were deception on the part of the midwives, being recorded does not mean God approved. |
| .20
Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied,
and waxed very mighty.
21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. .22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. |
21
- Made them houses The "houses" were their families. They
had strengthened the Hebrew families and God blessed them, too.
22 - [Drown your baby boys] Pharaoh was intent on his wicked plan. The evil one who worked through the pagan priests knew that the time for the deliverance of God's people was coming. |
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