_THE FAMILY OF JACOB INCREASE MUCH IN EGYPT. THE KING OF EGYPT OPPRESS THEM WITH HARD BONDAGE AND LABOURS, AND COMMANDS THE MIDWIVES TO DESTROY THEIR MALE CHILDREN: THEY DISOBEY HIS INJUNCTIONS, UPON WHICH HE ORDERS THE MALE CHILDREN TO BE CAST INTO THE RIVER._ _Before Christ 1635._... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES— Moses begins this book with recounting to us the names of the family of Jacob, to make us attentive to the accomplishment of the promise made to Abraham in their great multiplication. It may be asked, perhaps, how it came to pass that Joseph's brethren so readily returned ba... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE SEVENTY SOULS— (See Genesis 20:18.) _Seventy souls, with Joseph, who was in Egypt already._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSEPH DIED, AND ALL HIS BRETHREN, &C.— The sacred historian means to say here, that Joseph had now been some time dead, with all his brethren, as well as all the Egyptians who had seen and known him, and were convinced of the obligations which the whole country lay under to him. This preamble,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE FRUITFUL, &C.— A variety of terms, nearly synonimous, are used in this verse, to express the prodigious increase of the children of Israel; _with whom,_ says the sacred writer, _the land, i.e_. of Goshen, _was filled._ Great increase of people naturally produces power; an... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THERE AROSE UP A NEW KING, &C. _WHICH KNEW NOT JOSEPH_— _To know,_ in the sacred Scripture, signifies often, to _love,_ to _regard, approve._ See Hosea 2:8. Amos 3:2 compared with Psalms 1:6; Psalms 31:7. Matthew 25:12. In Joshua 2:10 it is said, _There arose another generation who_ knew not _th... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAID UNTO HIS PEOPLE, &C.— i.e. to his council, composed of the principal people of his land. We must either understand the king here in an hyperbolical sense, or as uttering the language of fear, which, indeed, the word _wisely, let us deal wisely,_ seems to insinuate; or else, as there is no ve... [ Continue Reading ]
COME ON, LET US, &C.— It is not to be conceived that the Egyptians could be ignorant of the Israelites' intention to return and settle in Canaan. Sensible therefore of the advantages arising to the community from such a body of people, yet fearful lest their great increase might render them too powe... [ Continue Reading ]
TASK-MASTERS— The original words signify, properly, _tax-gatherers:_ so that the result of this counsel was, to exact a tribute to lessen their wealth, and to lay heavy burdens on them to weaken their bodies, and thereby prevent their populating and increasing. Philo tells us, that they were made to... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MORE THEY AFFLICTED THEM, &C.— The expression in the original is more energetic than any of the preceding in Exodus 1:7. יפרצ _iprotz,_ rendered _grew,_ signifies, properly, _to break forth, and expand itself with impetuosity,_ like a rapid river, which swells and gathers force by being confined... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE EGYPTIANS— The more sensibly _God's_ blessing was discerned towards the Israelites, the more furiously was the rage of their persecutors kindled against them. Moses represents them suffering, as it were, _in a furnace of fire,_ Deuteronomy 4:20. REFLECTIONS.—We must not promise ourselves lo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING OF EGYPT, &C.— Pharaoh finding, by the experience of at least ten years, that neither the hardships he laid upon the Hebrews, nor all the cruelties which his officers and people used towards them, could prevent their multiplying, he devised another more cruel scheme, and sent for two of... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE THEM UPON THE STOOLS— The word אבנים _abnim_ occurs only here, and Jeremiah 18:3. The LXX have not translated it. _IF IT BE A SON,—YE SHALL KILL HIM_— The order itself was inhuman enough; but it becomes, if possible, ten times more so, by making the midwives the executioners; thus obliging them... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MIDWIVES SAID UNTO PHARAOH— Fully satisfied that it was better to obey GOD than man, the midwives disobeyed this unjust command; and vindicated themselves to Pharaoh, when accused by him, for so doing. I see no sufficient reason to suppose, that there was the least prevarication in the midwi... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MADE THEM HOUSES— _He made them families, i.e_. in the obvious sense of the words, he recompensed their piety, virtue, and courage, by making them prosperous, and their families considerable in Israel. In which sense, all the versions we have met with understand the passage: and as this is the ca... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH CHARGED ALL HIS PEOPLE— This was, most probably, enjoined under severe penalties; and that, as it appears from the next chapter, not only upon the Egyptians, who were to see the order executed; but also upon the Israelites, who were to execute it themselves. The Lacedemonians, Calmet observe... [ Continue Reading ]