Exodus 1

Exodus 1:1-22

Exodus 1:1-22; Exodus 2:1-25; Exodus 3:1-22; Exodus 4:1-31; Exodus 5:1-23; Exodus 6:1-30I. The Bondage of the Children of Israel (Exodus 1-6) Under this section there are three minor divisions: the oppression of the children of Israel (Exodus 1:1-22); the story of Moses’ birth and early years (Exodus 2:1-25; Exodus 3:1-22; Exodus 4:1-31); Moses and Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1-23; Exodus 6:1-30).

Exodus 1:7-14

Exodus 1:7-14(b) The Miraculous Increase and Oppression of the Nation (Exodus 1:7-14) In Genesis we saw that apparently God’ s promise to Abraham, that his seed should be as numberless as the stars of the heavens and the sands of the seashore, was being very slowly fulfilled. After the lapse of many, many years from the time Abraham was first given the promise, we have here but seventy souls descending into Egypt-sixty-eight or seventy males in all, about as many as would fill a good-sized living tent. Had God forgotten His promise to Abraham? By no means. He had sent Joseph beforehand to provide them room enough and the assurance of sufficient safety to grow and multiply in accordance with the promise. Of course, we should remember that, while there were probably but sixty-eight males, the number of persons descending into Egypt was very many more, probably three or more times that number.

We know that Abraham’ s household alone numbered three hundred and eighteen males (Genesis 14:14). On the number of persons going down into Egypt, compare Genesis 46:26, also remember that Jacob, and Joseph and his two sons, already in Egypt, must be reckoned. Remember also the five descendants of Ephraim (Numbers 26:35-37). This would make about seventy-five persons (cf. Acts 7:11-19). We must not lose sight of the fact that the increase in the number of the Hebrew people was supernatural and the result of divine interposition. This seems to be the distinct teaching of Psa 105:23-24 -“ Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And He (God) increased His people greatly.” It was also the fulfillment of the divine promise made to Abraham (Genesis 12:2; Genesis 17:4-5; Genesis 18:18). It may be interesting in this connection to draw attention to a note made by a Professor Curtis who refers to a volume of family memoirs which says that five thousand five hundred and sixty-four persons are known to be descended from Lieutenant John Hollister who immigrated to America in 1642. This is probably equal to the ratio of the increase of the children of Israel in Egypt (cf. The Expositor, November, 1887, p. 329). The Oppression of Israel This section narrates in some detail the oppression of the children of Israel (Exodus 1:8-14) and shows us the steps that led to their increased suffering. Joseph-the link that bound his people to the past dynasty-had died. All Joseph’ s brethren, and indeed his generation, had passed away (Exodus 1:6). A new king had arisen who knew not Joseph’ s intimate relations with the past (Exodus 1:8). The supernatural increase in the number of Israelites became an alarming factor to the Egyptians who were afraid, if war broke out, that this great foreign people might ally themselves with the enemy, and thus fight against them. Pharaoh and his people, therefore, determined to put a stop to the rapid increase of the Israelites.

Pharaoh, with this end in view, gave specific charge to the Hebrew midwives. Beneath the plot of Pharaoh and the Egyptians we must look for the ingenuity of Satan seeking to blot out the promised seed. This, we shall see, he tries to do throughout all the history of the children of Israel, not only as narrated in inspired history, but also in the history of the Jews among the nations of the day. God has a destiny for the Jew. Satan would seek to destroy the Jew and thus destroy the destiny. How many attempts have been made to destroy God’ s chosen people in Spain, Russia, Turkey, indeed, the whole world!

Man cannot blot out what God determines shall remain. God Overrules The midwives, from fear of God if not from love of Him, disobeyed the edict of Pharaoh. It may or may not have been true that, as they claimed, the Hebrew wives were shrewd. The midwives doubtless saw the hand of God in the supernatural increase of Jewish births. Furthermore, it may be that they were not willing to be parties to the crime of infanticide which, while a popular custom among the Egyptians, may have in this instance caused fear in the hearts of the midwives because of their recognition of the hand of God. It is said that “ God dealt well with the midwives,” not for their lying or falsehood, if such actually took place, but for their obedience to Him. There is no excuse for lying under any circumstances. By the term “ built them houses,” we are to understand that God made them heads of families (cf. 2 Samuel 7:11; 2 Samuel 7:27). Barrenness among women in that day was a curse. To be the head of a family was a blessing. One wonders whether the fear of God is as great a preventative of infanticide in this day as in the days of Pharaoh. With this attempt at destruction of the Hebrew children should be compared Herod’ s destruction of the firstborn in Matthew 2:1-23.