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Exodus 1

World English Bible

WEB

1Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob): 2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation. 7The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. 8Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph. 9He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. 10Come, let’s deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies and fight against us, and escape out of the land.” 11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses. 12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They started to dread the children of Israel. 13The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve, 14and they made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve. 15The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah, 16and he said, “When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17But the midwives feared God, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive. 18The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?” 19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women aren’t like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. 21Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Exodus Chapter 1 begins with a recounting of the Israelites' growth in Egypt after the death of Joseph and his brothers. The chapter highlights how the Israelites multiplied greatly, becoming exceedingly numerous, which caused concern among the new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph. Fearing that the Israelites would become too powerful, Pharaoh enslaved them, imposing harsh labor and oppression. This oppression included forced labor in brick-making and construction, as well as cruel treatment, which aimed to break their spirit and diminish their numbers through infanticide, ordering the Hebrew midwives to kill all newborn boys.

Despite the oppression, the Israelites continued to grow in number, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. The midwives, fearing God, disobeyed Pharaoh's orders and allowed the boys to live, which led to God's blessing upon them. The chapter concludes with Pharaoh intensifying his decree, commanding that every Hebrew boy born be thrown into the Nile River. This sets the stage for the dramatic events that will unfold in the subsequent chapters, highlighting the themes of oppression, divine deliverance, and the faithfulness of God to His people, which are central to the narrative of Exodus. The chapter serves as a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty even in the midst of suffering and adversity. #Exodus #Israelites #Pharaoh #Midwives #Oppression

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Referenced by

  1. Genesis 30:37-39v12Genesis 30:37-39 describes Jacob's strategy to increase his flocks, reflecting a theme of growth and prosperity under oppression, similar to the Israelites multiplying in Egypt despite oppression in Exodus 1:12.
  2. Genesis 46:27v5Genesis 46:27 mentions the total number of Jacob's family who went to Egypt, which is reiterated in Exodus 1:5, setting the stage for the Israelites' growth in Egypt.
  3. Genesis 47:6v11Genesis 47:6 describes Pharaoh giving Joseph's family the best of the land in Egypt, the land of Goshen. Exodus 1:11 later describes how the Israelites were oppressed in Egypt, showing a shift from favor to enslavement.
  4. Exodus 5:7-9v11Exodus 5:7-9 describes Pharaoh's increased oppression of the Israelites by making them gather their own straw for brick-making. This intensification of labor echoes the earlier oppression described in Exodus 1:11-14.
  5. Esther 3:6v22Haman's plot to destroy all Jews in Esther 3:6 is reminiscent of Pharaoh's decree to kill all Hebrew male infants in Exodus 1:22. Both reflect attempts to annihilate God's people, setting the stage for divine intervention.
  6. Psalms 129:1v11Psalm 129:1 speaks of the afflictions from youth, which can be related to the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt as described in Exodus 1:11-14, highlighting the theme of enduring suffering and God's deliverance.

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