Exodus 1:13

_BUT THE MORE THEY AFFLICTED THEM, THE MORE THEY MULTIPLIED AND GREW. AND THEY WERE GRIEVED BECAUSE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

13._And the Egyptians made. _Thus Moses informs us that, so far from being induced to kindness by their fears, they were rather hardened, and spurred on to greater cruelty; for the wicked do not perceive that God is against them, when their perverse strivings are unsuccessful; and if this thought ever arises, still the blind impetuosity of their folly hurries them forwards, so that they doubt not to be able in their obstinate lust to prevail even in opposition to God; as will be made clearer in the progress of this history. The cruelty of the exactions is expressed, when he says that “their lives were made bitter,” nothing being sweeter than life; therefore, it appears, that their miseries were extreme and intolerable, which made life burdensome. He confirms this in other words, and also specifies their tasks, that they were engaged “in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of (similar)...

8-14 The land of Egypt became to Israel a house of bondage. The place where we have been happy, may soon become the place of our affliction; and that may prove the greatest cross to us, of which we said, This same shall comfort us. Cease from man, and say not of any place on this side heaven, This is my rest. All that knew Joseph, loved him, and were kind to his brethren for his sake; but the best and most useful services a man does to others, are soon forgotten after his death. Our great care should be, to serve God, and to please him who is not unrighteous, whatever men are, to forget our work and labour of love. The offence of Israel is, that he prospers. There is no sight more hateful to a wicked man than the prosperity of the righteous. The Egyptians feared lest the children of Israel should join their enemies, and get them up out of the land. Wickedness is ever cowardly and unjust...

Verse Exodus 1:13. _TO SERVE WITH RIGOUR_] בפרך _bepharech_, with _cruelty, great oppression_; being _ferocious_ with them. The word _fierce_ is supposed by some to be derived from the Hebrew, as well as the Latin _ferox_, from which we more immediately bring our English term. This kind of cruelty to slaves, and ferociousness, unfeelingness, and hard-heartedness, were particularly forbidden to the children of Israel. See Leviticus 25:43, Leviticus 25:46, where the same word is used: _Thou shalt not rule over him with_ RIGOUR, _but shalt fear_ _thy God_....

EXPOSITION EXODUS 1:7-2 Here the real narrative of Exodus begins. The history of the Israelites from and after the death of Joseph is entered on. The first point touched is THEIR RAPID MULTIPLICATION. The next their falling under the dominion of a NEW KING. The third, HIS MODE OF ACTION UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. It is remarkable that the narrative contains no notes of time. How long the increase continued before the new king arose, how long it went on before he noticed it, how long the attempt was made to cheek it by mere severity of labour, we are not told. Some considerable duration of time is implied, both for the multiplication (verse 7) and for the oppression (verse 11-14); but the narrator is so absorbed in the matters which he has to communicate that the question what time these matters occupied does

AND THE EGYPTIANS MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TO SERVE WITH RIGOUR. Or with breach c, with what might tend to break their strength; 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. c בפרך "in fractione", Cajetan. apud Rivet....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. ISRAEL'S DELIVERANCE OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE EGYPTIANS 1. The House of Bondage CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The names of the children of Israel; their increase (Exodus 1:1)_ 2. The new king and his policy (Exodus 1:8) 3. The continued increase (Exodus 1:12) 4. Their hard bondage (Exodus 1:13) 5. The midwives commanded (Exodus 1:15) 6. Their disobedience and God's reward (Exodus 1:17) 7. Pharaoh's charg

EXODUS 1:8 J, EXODUS 1:13 P, EXODUS 1:14 A ( TO FIELD) J, EXODUS 1:14 B P. REPRESSION OF ISRAEL. Forced labour was the first device for checking Hebrew increase. The new king is probably Rameses II (1300- 1221 B.C., pp. 56, 63, so Petrie). The phrase has no reference to a change of dynasty, as some have supposed, but to the beginning of an epoch affecting Israel. In Exodus 1:9 read _mg.;_ to represent Israel as stronger than the Egyptians would have been absurd, but such a people might easily grow too strong for their dependent position and clo

MADE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TO SERVE. So far were the pretended fears of the Egyptians from working within them the least sentiment of clemency, that they were evidently goaded on by the frustration of their hopes to. still more relentless course of oppression. Wicked men are slow to be taught, when their mad schemes are defeated, that God fights against them; and even if such. thought now and then glances upon their minds they seem to be stung and exasperated by it to rush on yet more recklessly in the way of rebellion.--_ Bush._ WITH RIGOR. From the original word here used comes the Latin _ferox_ and the English _fierce._ The purpose of the Egyptians was, (1) To break their spirits; (2) to ruin their health and shorten their days, and so diminish their numbers; (3) to discourage them from marrying, since their children would be born to slavery....

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 long prosperity in this world. Where we have found the warmest love we may soon experience the bitterest hatred; so transitory is the fashion of sublunary comforts. We have here, 1. The great unkindness shewn to the Israelites in a succeeding reign; not by Pharaoh's immediate successor, but by one who, at a considerable distance of time, had forgotten the obligations which the country lay under to Joseph. _Note;_ We shall often find men ungrateful, and unmindful of the kind offices we have done them; but what is done for God will be had in everlasting remembr