Exodus 1

Introduction to Exodus

The book of Exodus consists of two distinct portions.

The first Exo. 1–19 gives a detailed account of the circumstances under which the deliverance of the Israelites was accomplished.

The second Exo. 20–40 describes the giving of the law, and the institutions which completed the organization of the people as “a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” Exo_19:6.

The name Exodus means “the going forth,” assigned to it by the Alexandrian Jews, applies rather to the former portion than to the whole book.

The narrative is closely connected with that of Genesis, and shows not only that it was written by the same author, but that it formed part of one general plan. Still it is a distinct section.

Two separate accounts of the erection of the tabernacle are given. In the first Moses relates the instructions which he received, in the second he describes the accomplishment of the work.

This book is called by the Jews Veelleh Shemoth, from the first words with which it begins, and sometimes Sepher Shemoth, and sometimes only Shemoth. It is by the Septuagint called Exodus, from whom we have the name of Exodus, which signifies "a going out"; see Luk_9:31, because it treats of the going of the children of Israel out of Egypt.

That this book is of divine inspiration, and to be reckoned in the canon of the sacred writings, is sufficiently evident to all that believe the New Testament; since there are so many quotations out of it there by Christ, and his apostles; particularly see Mar_12:26 and that it was wrote by Moses is not to be doubted, but when is not certain; it must be after the setting up of the tabernacle in the wilderness.

It is a figure and representation of the passage of the people of God out of spiritual Egypt, through the wilderness of this world, to the heavenly Canaan, and of various things they must meet with in their passage, so there are many types of Christ, his person, office, and grace, and of his church, his word, and ordinances, which are very edifying and instructing.

Exo 1:1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

Every man and his household - It may be inferred from various notices that the total number of dependents was considerable, a point of importance in its bearings upon the history of the Exodus (compare Gen_13:6; Gen_14:14).

These are the names - Though this book is a continuation of the book of Genesis, with which probably it was in former times conjoined, Moses thought it necessary to introduce it with an account of the names and number of the family of Jacob when they came to Egypt, to show that though they were then very few, yet in a short time, under the especial blessing of God, they had multiplied exceedingly; and thus the promise to Abraham had been literally fulfilled.

Now these are the names - Of the twelve patriarchs, the sons of Jacob, who were heads of the twelve tribes, whose names are here given; since the historian is about to give an account of their coming out of Egypt, and that it might be observed how greatly they increased in it, and how exactly the promise to Abraham, of the multiplication of his seed, was fulfilled:

every man and his household came with Jacob - into Egypt, all excepting Joseph, and along with them their families, wives, children, and servants; though wives and servants are not reckoned into the number of the seventy, only such as came out of Jacob's loins: the Targum of Jonathan is,"a man with the men of his house,''as if only male children were meant, the sons of Jacob and his grandsons; and one scholar observes, that women were never reckoned in Scripture as of the household or family; but certainly Dinah, and Serah, as they came into Egypt with Jacob, are reckoned among the seventy that came with him thither, Gen_46:15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three.

During more than 200 years, while Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived at liberty, the Hebrews increased slowly; only about seventy persons went down into Egypt. There, in about the same number of years, though under cruel bondage, they became a large nation. This wonderful increase was according to the promise long before made unto the fathers. Though the performance of God's promises is sometimes slow, it is always sure.

Exo 1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah - The first sons of Jacob by Leah.

Exo 1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

And Benjamin - the youngest of all Jacob's sons is placed here, being his son by his beloved wife Rachel. Who though youngest of all is placed before Dan, Naphtali, and the rest because they were the children of the handmaidens. Joseph is not put into the account, because he did not go into Egypt with Jacob.

Issachar, Zebulun - The other two sons of Jacob, by Leah:

Exo 1:4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher - Who are last mentioned, being sons of the concubine wives.

Exo 1:5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

Seventy souls - Gen_46:27 And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt, were seventy. Souls are put for persons. This was but a small number that went down to Egypt, when compared with that which went out of it; and that it should be compared with it is the design of its being mentioned, Exo_12:37 And the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, the men being about six hundred thousand men on foot, apart from little ones.

for Joseph was in Egypt already; and is the reason why he is not reckoned among the sons of Jacob, that came thither with him; though rather it may be better rendered, "with Joseph who was in Egypt" (c); for he must be reckoned, and indeed his two sons also, to make up the number seventy; therefore Jonathan rightly supplies it,"with Joseph and his sons who were in Egypt,''See Gill on Gen_46:27.

Seventy souls - According to the computation we had, Gen_46:27, including Joseph and his two sons. This was just the number of the nations by which the earth was peopled, Gen. 10:1-32, for when God separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel, Deu_32:8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the sons of Israel.

Exo 1:6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

Joseph died, and all his brethren - That is, Joseph had now been some time dead, as also all his brethren, and all the Egyptians who had known Jacob and his twelve sons; and this is a sort of reason why the important services performed by Joseph were forgotten.

And Joseph died, and all his brethren - it is certain they all died in Egypt, though they were not buried there; but as Stephen says, Act_7:16 and were carried over into Shechem. And they were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price of silver from the sons of Emmor the father of Shechem and interred there, either quickly after their decease, or, however, were taken along with the bones of Joseph by the children of Israel, when they departed out of Egypt: and it is also evident that they all died before the affliction and oppression of the children of Israel in Egypt began; and this account seems to be given on purpose to point this out unto us, being placed in the order it is.

Exo 1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

The expressions used in this verse imply the lapse of a considerable period after the death of Joseph.

The children of Israel were fruitful - paru, a general term, signifying that they were like healthy trees, bringing forth an abundance of fruit.

And increased - yishretsu, they increased like fishes, as the original word implies.

And waxed exceeding mighty - they became strong beyond measure, were hale, and strong, of good constitutions, able bodied men, and so more dreaded by the Egyptians: a heap of words is here used to express the vast increase of the people of Israel in Egypt:

and multiplied - became very numerous, whereby the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were fulfilled: From the call of Abraham, when God first told him he would make him a great nation, to the deliverance of his seed out of Egypt, was 430 years; during the first 215 of which, they were increased to 70, but in the latter half, those 70 multiplied to 600,000 fighting men.

and the land was filled with them - not the whole land of Egypt, but the land of Goshen: at first they were seated in a village in that country, but now they were spread throughout the towns and cities in it.

Exo 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

There arose up a new king - The expressions in this verse are special and emphatic. “A new king” is a phrase not found elsewhere. It is understood by most commentators to imply that he did not succeed his predecessor in the natural order of descent and inheritance. He “arose up over Egypt,” occupying the land, as it would seem, on different terms from the king whose place he took, either by usurpation or conquest. The fact that he knew not Joseph implies a complete separation from the traditions of Lower Egypt.

Which knew not Joseph - The verb yada, which we translate to know, often signifies to acknowledge or approve. We may therefore understand by the new king’s not knowing Joseph, his disapproving of that system of government which Joseph had established, as well as his haughtily refusing to acknowledge the obligations under which the whole land of Egypt was laid to this eminent prime minister of one of his predecessors.

Exo 1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

He said unto his people - He probably summoned a council of his nobles and elders, his principal ministers of state, to consider the subject; and the result was to persecute and destroy them, as is afterwards stated.

children of Israel are more and mightier than we-- Their increase and prosperity were viewed with jealousy by the new government.

Exo 1:10 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.

Any war - The Northeastern frontier was infested by the neighboring tribes, the Shasous of Egyptian monuments, and war was waged with Egypt by the confederated nations of Western Asia under the reigns of the successors of Amosis. These incursions were repulsed with extreme difficulty. In language, features, costume, and partly also in habits, the Israelites probably resembled those enemies of Egypt.

and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land - take the opportunity, by joining their enemies and fighting against them, to get away from them out of Egypt into the land of Canaan, from whence they came: this, it seems, the Egyptians had some notion of, that they were meditating something of this kind, often speaking of the land of Canaan being theirs, and that they should in a short time inherit it; and though they were dreaded by the Egyptians, they did not care to part with them, being an industrious laborious people, and from whom the kingdom reaped many advantages.

Exo 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

Taskmasters - The Egyptian “Chiefs of tributes.” The persons who appointed them their work, and exacted the performance of it. They were men of rank, superintendents of the public works, such as are often represented on Egyptian monuments, and carefully distinguished from the subordinate overseers. The Israelites were employed in forced labor. The work itself being oppressive, and the manner in which it was exacted still more so, there is some room to think that they not only worked them unmercifully, but also obliged them to pay an exorbitant tribute at the same time.

Pithom and Raamses - Both cities were situated on the canal which was dug or enlarged in the 12th Dynasty. The former is known to have existed under the 18th Dynasty. Both were in existence at the beginning of the reign of Rameses II, by whom they were fortified and enlarged. The name “Pithom” means “House or temple of Tum,” the Sun God of Heliopolis. The name of Raamses, or Rameses, is generally assumed to have been derived from Rameses II, the Sesostris of the Greeks, but it was previously known as the name of the district. Gen 47:11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. Rameses is supposed to have been the capital of the land of Goshen, mentioned in the book of Genesis by anticipation; for it was probably not erected till after the days of Joseph, when the Israelites were brought under that severe oppression described in the book of Exodus.

Treasure cities - store cities, public granaries. Calmet supposes this to be the name of a city, and translates the verse thus:

they built for Pharaoh treasure cities--These two store-places were in the land of Goshen; and being situated near a border liable to invasion, they were fortified cities.

Set over them taskmasters - This was the first scheme proposed and agreed on, and was carried into execution, to appoint taskmasters over them

Exo 1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew - Became more numerous, "and broke out", as it may be rendered, like water which breaks out and spreads itself; so the Israelites, increasing in number, spread themselves still more in the land; the Egyptians thought, by putting them to hard labor in building cities, to have weakened their strength, and made them unfit for the procreation of children; but instead of that, the more hard labor they were put unto, the they begot more children, and multiplied exceedingly: and so it is that oftentimes afflictive dispensations are multiplying and growing times to the people of God, in a spiritual sense; when the church of God has been most violently persecuted, the number of converts have been greater, and saints under affliction grow in grace, in faith and love, in holiness, humility, patience, peace, and joy.

Exo 1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:

To serve with rigour - with cruelty, great oppression; being ferocious with them. They laid heavier burdens upon them, obliged them to harder service, used them more cruelly and with greater fierceness, adding to their hard service ill words, and perhaps blows. This kind of cruelty to slaves, and ferociousness, unfeelingness, and hard-heartedness, were particularly forbidden to the children of Israel. Lev 25:43 You shall not rule over him with rigor, but shall fear your God. Lev 25:46 And you shall take them as an inheritance for your sons after you, to hold for a possession; you may lay service on them forever. But you shall not rule over your brothers, the sons of Israel, over one another, with harshness.

Exo 1:14 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.

They made their lives bitter - So that they became weary of life, through the severity of their servitude.

With hard bondage - with grievous servitude. This was the general character of their life in Egypt; it was a life of the most painful servitude, oppressive enough in itself, but made much more so by the cruel manner of their treatment while performing their tasks.

In mortar, and in brick - First, in digging the clay, kneading, and preparing it, and secondly, forming it into bricks, drying them in the sun, etc.

Service in the field - Carrying these materials to the places where they were to be formed into buildings, and serving the builders while employed in those public works. Josephus says “The Egyptians contrived a variety of ways to afflict the Israelites; for they enjoined them to cut a great number of channels for the river, and to build walls for their cities and ramparts, that they might restrain the river, and hinder its waters from stagnating upon its overrunning its own banks; they set them also to build pyramids, and wore them out, and forced them to learn all sorts of mechanic arts, and to accustom themselves to hard labor.

Exo 1:15 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:

Hebrew midwives - Shiphrah and Puah, who are here mentioned, were probably certain chiefs, under whom all the rest acted, and by whom they were instructed in the obstetric art. A Jewish scholar supposes there could not have been fewer than five hundred midwives among the Hebrew women at this time.

Hebrew midwifes - It is difficult to say who these midwives were, whether Egyptian or Hebrew women. it is more likely that these midwives were Hebrew women, their names are Hebrew; and besides, they are not said to be the midwives of Hebrew women, but Hebrew midwives;

As the first plan miscarried, the king proceeded to try a second, and that a bloody act of cruel despotism. He commanded the midwives to destroy the male children in the birth and to leave only the girls alive. The Egyptians tried to destroy Israel by the murder of their children. And we see that the services done for God's Israel are often repaid in kind.

Exo 1:16 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.

Upon the stools - Literally, “two stones.” The word denotes a special seat, such as is represented on monuments of the 18th Dynasty, and is still used by Egyptian midwives. They are seats for women in labor to sit upon, and so contrived, that the midwives might do their office the more readily; but while they sat there, and before the birth, they could not tell whether the child was a son or a daughter; the word here likely signifies the place to which the infant falls down from its mother's belly, at the time of labor, and is called the place of the breaking forth of children

Upon the stools - This is a difficult word, and occurs nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible but in Jer_18:3, where we translate it the potter’s wheels. As it signifies a stone, the obnayim has been supposed to signify a stone trough, in which they received and washed the infant as soon as born. “When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and ye see that the birth is broken forth, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him.” A Jewish scholar gives us a curious reason for the command given by Pharaoh to the Egyptian women: “Pharaoh slept, and saw in his sleep a balance, and behold the whole land of Egypt stood in one scale, and a lamb in the other; and the scale in which the lamb was outweighed that in which was the land of Egypt. Immediately he sent and called all the chief magicians, and told them his dream. And Janes and Jimbres, (see 2Ti_3:8). who were chief of the magicians, opened their mouths and said to Pharaoh, ‘A child is shortly to be born in the congregation of the Israelites, whose hand shall destroy the whole land of Egypt.’ Therefore Pharaoh spake to the midwives, etc.”

Exo 1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

But the midwives feared God--Their faith inspired them with such courage as to risk their lives, by disobeying the mandate of a cruel tyrant; but it was blended with weakness, which made them shrink from speaking the truth.

The midwives feared God - Dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh's. Because they knew that God had forbidden murder of every kind; for though the law was not yet given, Exo_20:13, being Hebrews they must have known that God had from the beginning declared, Gen 9:6 Whoever sheds man's blood, his blood shall be shed by man; for He made man in the image of God. Therefore they saved the male children of all to whose assistance they were called

and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them - knowing it was right to obey God rather than man.

Exo 1:18 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?

Exo 1:19 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.

Exo 1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

God dealt well with the midwives-- Thus God rewarded them, “not, however, because they lied, but because they were merciful to the people of God; it was not their falsehood therefore that was rewarded, but their kindness (more correctly, their fear of God), their benignity of mind, not the wickedness of their lying; and for the sake of what was good, God forgave what was evil

God dealt well with the midwives-- God rewarded them for their conduct, and “made them houses,” i.e., gave them families and preserved their posterity. In this sense to “make a house” in 2Sa_7:11 is interchanged with to “build a house” in 2Sa_7:27. Through not carrying out the ruthless command of the king, they had helped to build up the families of Israel, and their own families were therefore built up by God..”

Exo 1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Made them houses - The expression is proverbial. Refers to God building up the families of the midwives. 2Sa 7:11 And even from the time that I commanded judges to be over My people of Israel, so will I cause you to rest from all your enemies. Also Jehovah tells you that He will make you a house.

Exo 1:22 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.

The failure of his second plan drove the king to acts of open violence. He issued commands to all his subjects to throw every Hebrew boy that was born into the river. It is conjectured that the edict mentioned in this verse was not made till after the birth of Aaron, and that it was revoked soon after the birth of Moses; as, if it had subsisted in its rigour during the eighty-six years which elapsed between this and the deliverance of the Israelites, it is not at all likely that their males would have amounted to six hundred thousand, and those all effective men.

every son that is born ye shall cast into the river - not every son born in his kingdom, for this would have ruined it in time; but that was born to the Jews,