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Exodus Chapter
One
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
EXODUS 1
This chapter begins with an
account of the names and number of the children of Israel that came into Egypt
with Jacob, Exodus 1:1 and
relates that increase of them after the death of Joseph, and the generation
that went down to Egypt, Exodus 1:6 and what
methods the Egyptians took to diminish them, but to no purpose, as by obliging
to cruel bondage and hard service; and yet the more they were afflicted, the
more they increased, Exodus 1:9 by
ordering the midwives of the Hebrew women to slay every son they laid them of;
but they fearing God, did not obey the order of the king of Egypt, which when
he expostulated with them about, they excused, and so the people multiplied, Exodus 1:15 and
lastly, by ordering every male child to be cast into the river, Exodus 1:22 and
which is the leading step to the account of the birth of Moses, which follows
in the next chapter.
Exodus 1:1 Now these are
the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his
household came with Jacob:
YLT 1And these [are] the names of the sons of
Israel who are coming into Egypt with Jacob; a man and his household have they
come;
Now these are
the names of the children of Israel which came down into Egypt,.... 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: or, "and these are the names"F2ואלה "et haec", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius. ,
&c. this book being connected with the former by the copulative
"and"; and when this was wrote, it is highly probable there was no
division of the books made, but the history proceeded in one continued account:
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 Aben Ezra 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, Genesis 46:15.
Exodus 1:2 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and
Judah;
YLT 2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon,
Levi, and Judah. The first sons of Jacob by Leah.
Exodus 1:3 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and
Benjamin;
YLT 3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
Issachar,
Zebulun,.... The other two sons of Jacob, by Leah:
Benjamin; the youngest
of all Jacob's sons is placed here, being his son by his beloved wife Rachel.
Joseph is not put into the account, because he did not go into Egypt with
Jacob.
Exodus 1:4 4 Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and
Asher.
YLT 4Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
Dan, and
Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. Who are last mentioned, being sons of the
concubine wives.
Exodus 1:5 5 All those who were
descendants[a] of Jacob
were seventy[b] persons
(for Joseph was in Egypt already).
YLT 5And all the persons coming out of the thigh
of Jacob are seventy persons; as to Joseph, he was in Egypt.
And all the
souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls,....
"Souls" are put for persons; of the number seventy, and how reckoned;
see Gill on Genesis 46:27. 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, see Exodus 12:37,
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"F3ויסף
"cum Josepho qui erat in Aegypto", Junius & Tremellius,
Ainsworth, Noldius, No. 1197. p. 273. so the Arabic version, Kimchi, and Ben
Melech. ; 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 Genesis 46:27.
Exodus 1:6 6 And Joseph died, all his
brothers, and all that generation.
YLT 6And Joseph dieth, and all his brethren, and
all that generation;
And Joseph
died, and all his brethren,.... It is a notion of the Jews, that Joseph
died before any of his brethren; see Gill on Genesis 50:26 and
they gather it from these words; but it does not necessarily follow from hence,
they might die some before him and some after him; and as they were all born in
about seven years' time, excepting Benjamin, they might all die within a little
time of each other: according to the Jewish writersF4R. Bechai apud
Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 3. 2. & 4. 1. , the dates of their death were
these,"Reuben lived one hundred and twenty four years, and died two years
after Joseph; Simeon lived one hundred and twenty years, and died the year
after Joseph; Levi lived one hundred and thirty seven years, and died twenty
four years after Joseph; Judah lived one hundred and nineteen years, Issachar
one hundred and twenty two, Zebulun one hundred and twenty four, and died two
years after Joseph; Dan lived one hundred and twenty seven years, Asher one
hundred and twenty three years, Benjamin one hundred and eleven years, and died
twenty six years before Levi; Gad lived one hundred and twenty five years, and
Naphtali one hundred and thirty three years;'but though this account of the
Jews, of their times, and of the times of their death, is not to be depended
upon, yet it is certain they all died in Egypt, though they were not buried
there; but as Stephen says, Acts 7:16 they were
carried over to 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. Levi lived the longest of them all, and the
affliction did not begin till after his death; and the Jewish chronologers sayF5R.
Gedaliah in Shalshalet, fol. 5. 1. Ganz. Tzemach David: par. 1. fol. 6. 1. that
from his death to the children of Israel's going out of Egypt were one hundred
and sixteen years; and they further observeF6Seder Olam Rabba, c. 3.
p. 9. , that it could not last more than one hundred and sixteen years, and not
less than eighty seven, according to the years of Miriam:
and all that
generation; in which Joseph and his brethren had lived. These also died,
Egyptians as well as Israelites, before the oppression began.
Exodus 1:7 7 But the children of Israel
were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty;
and the land was filled with them.
YLT 7and the sons of Israel have been fruitful,
and they teem, and multiply, and are very very mighty, and the land is filled
with them.
And the
children of Israel were fruitful,.... In their offspring;
became like fruitful trees, as the word signifies:
and increased
abundantly; like creeping things, or rather like fishes, which increase very
much, see Genesis 1:20.
and multiplied; became very
numerous, whereby the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were
fulfilled:
and waxed
exceeding mighty; 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 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.
Exodus 1:8 8 Now there arose a new king
over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
YLT 8And there riseth a new king over Egypt, who
hath not known Joseph,
Now there arose
up a new king over Egypt,.... Stephen calls him another king, Acts 7:18 one of
another family, according to JosephusF7Antiqu. l. 2. c. 9. sect. 1.
; who was not of the seed royal, as Aben Ezra; and Sir John MarshamF8Canon.
Chron. Sec. 8. p. 107. thinks this was Salatis, who, according to ManethoF9Apud
Joseph. Contr. Apion. l. 1. sect. 14. , was the first of the Hycsi or pastor
kings that ruled in lower Egypt; but these kings seem to have reigned before
that time; see Gill on Genesis 46:34 and
Bishop UsherF11Annal. Vet. Test. p. 17. 18. takes this king to be one
of the ancient royal family, whose name was Ramesses Miamun; and gives us a
succession of the Egyptian kings from the time of Joseph's going into Egypt to
this king: the name of that Pharaoh that reigned when Joseph was had into
Egypt, and whose dreams he interpreted, was Mephramuthosis; after him reigned
Thmosis, Amenophis, and Orus; and in the reign of the last of these Joseph
died, and after Orus reigned Acenehres a daughter of his, then Rathotis a
brother of Acenchres, after him Acencheres a son of Rathotis, then another
Acencheres, after him Armais, then Ramesses, who was succeeded by Ramesses
Miamun, here called the new king, because, as the JewsF12T. Bab.
Erubin. fol. 53. 1. say, new decrees were made in his time; and this Pharaoh,
under whom Moses was born, they call TalmaF13Juchasin, fol. 135. 2.
, and with ArtapanusF14Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p.
431. his name is Palmanothes:
which knew not
Joseph; which is not to be understood of ignorance of his person, whom
he could not know; nor of the history of him, and of the benefits done by him
to the Egyptian nation, though, no doubt, this was among their records, and
which, one would think, he could not but know; or rather, he had no regard to
the memory of Joseph; and so to his family and kindred, the whole people of
Israel: he acknowledged not the favours of Joseph to his nation, ungratefully
neglected them, and showed no respect to his posterity, and those in connection
with him, on his account; though, if a stranger, it is not to be wondered at.
Exodus 1:9 9 And he said to his people,
“Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than
we;
YLT 9and he saith unto his people, `Lo, the people
of the sons of Israel [is] more numerous and mighty than we;
And he said
unto his people,.... His princes, nobles, and courtiers about him, his principal
ministers of state:
behold, the
people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: which could
not be true in fact, but is said to stir up his nobles to attend to what he was
about to say, and to work upon them to take some speedy measures for the
crushing of this people; for that they were more in number, and mightier in
power and wealth than the Egyptians, it was impossible; and indeed it may seem
strange, that the king should tell such an untruth, which might be so easily
contradicted by his courtiers; though the words will bear to be otherwise
rendered, as that "the children of Israel are many"F15רב "multus", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Rivet.
; as they were very greatly multiplied, and became very numerous; and they
might be "mightier", that is, more robust and strong, and fitter for
war than the Egyptians, and therefore, were formidable, and a people to be
guarded against; and it was high time to think of securing themselves from
them, before they grew too mighty and powerful; or they might be more numerous
and mighty in that part of the land in which they were, in Goshen, though not
more and mightier than the Egyptians in general.
Exodus 1:10 10 come, let us deal shrewdly
with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they
also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the
land.”
YLT 10give help! let us act wisely concerning it,
lest it multiply, and it hath come to pass, when war happeneth, that it hath
been joined, even it, unto those hating us, and hath fought against us, and
hath gone out up of the land.'
Come on,.... Which is
a word of exhortation, stirring up to a quick dispatch of business, without
delay, the case requiring haste, and some speedy and a matter of indifference:
let us deal
wisely with them; form some wise schemes, take some crafty methods to weaken and
diminish them gradually; not with open force of arms, but in a more private and
secret manner, and less observed:
lest they
multiply; yet more and more, so that in time it may be a very difficult
thing to keep them under, and many disadvantages to the kingdom may arise from
them, next observed:
and it come to
pass, that when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies; their
neighbours the Arabians, and Phoenicians, and Ethiopians: with the latter the
Egyptians had wars, as they had in the times of Moses, as JosephusF16Antiqu.
l. 2. c. 10. relates, and ArtapanusF17Ut supra. (Apud Euseb.
Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 431.) , an Heathen writer, also: Sir John
MarshamF18Canon Chron. See 8. p. 107. thinks these enemies were the
old Egyptians, with whom the Israelites had lived long in a friendly manner,
and so more likely to join with them, the Thebans who lived in upper Egypt, and
between whom and the pastor kings that reigned in lower Egypt there were
frequent wars; but these had been expelled from Egypt some time ago:
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.
Exodus 1:11 11 Therefore
they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they
built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.
YLT 11And they set over it princes of tribute, so
as to afflict it with their burdens, and it buildeth store-cities for Pharaoh,
Pithom and Raamses;
Therefore they
did set taskmasters over them, to afflict them with their burdens,.... This was
the first scheme proposed and agreed on, and was carried into execution, to
appoint taskmasters over them; or "princes", or "masters of
tribute"F18שרי מסים
"principes tributorum", Pagninus, Montanus, Fagius, Drusius,
Cartwright; so Tigurine version. , commissioners of taxes, who had power to lay
heavy taxes upon them, and oblige them to pay them, which were very burdensome,
and so afflictive to their minds, and tended to diminish their wealth and
riches, and obliged them to harder labour in order to pay them, and so every
way contributed to distress them:
and they built
for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses; these might be built
with the money they collected from them by way of tribute, and so said to be
built by them, since it was chiefly in husbandry, and in keeping flocks and
herds, that the Israelites were employed; or they might be concerned in
building these cities, some of them understanding architecture, or however the
poorer or meaner sort might be made use of in the more laborious and servile
part of the work; those two cities are, in the Targums of Jonathan and
Jerusalem, called Tanis and Pelusium; but Tanis was the same with Zoan, and
that was built but seven years after Hebron, an ancient city, in being long
before this time, see Numbers 13:22.
Pelusium indeed may be one of them, but then it is not that which is here
called Raamses, but Pithom, as Sir John MarshamF19Ut supra. (Canon
Chron. Sec. 8. p. 107.) and others think: Pithom is by Junius thought to be the
same with the Pathumus of HerodotusF20Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 158. ,
a town in Arabia Petraes, upon the borders of Egypt, where a ditch was dug from
the Nile to the Red sea, and supposed to be the work of the Israelites: Raamses
is a place different from Ramesses, Genesis 47:11 and
had its name from the then reigning Pharaoh, Ramesses Miamun, as Pithom is
thought by some to be so called from his queen: PlinyF21Nat. Hist.
l. 6. c. 28. makes mention of some people called Ramisi and Patami, who
probably were the inhabitants of these cities, whom he joins to the Arabians as
bordering on Egypt: the Septuagint version adds a third city, "On",
which is Hellopolls: and a learned writerF23Jablonski de Terra
Goshen, dissert. 4. sect. 8. is of opinion that Raamses and Heliopolis are the
same, and observes, that Raamses, in the Egyptian tongue, signifies the field
of the sun, being consecrated to it, as Heliopolis is the city of the sun, the
same with Bethshemesh, the house of the sun, Jeremiah 43:13 and
he thinks these cities were not properly built by the Israelites, but repaired,
ornamented, and fortified, being by them banked up against the force of the Nile,
that the granaries might be safe from it, as StraboF24Geograph. l.
17. p. 553. writes, particularly of Heliopolis; and the Septuagint version here
calls them fortified cities; and with this agrees what Benjamin of Tudela saysF25Itinerar.
p. 120. , that he came to the fountain of "Al-shemesh", or the sun,
which is Raamses; and there are remains of the building of our fathers (the Jew
says) even towers built of bricks, and Fium, he saysF26Ib. p. 114. ,
(which was in Goshen; see Gill on Genesis 47:11) is
the same with Pithom; and there, he says, are to be seen some of the buildings
of our fathers. Here these cities are said to be built for treasure cities,
either to lay up the riches of the kings of Egypt in, or as granaries and
storehouses for corn, or magazines for warlike stores, or for all of these:
some think the "pyramids" were built by the Israelites, and there is
a passage in HerodotusF1 which seems to favour it; he says, the
kings that built them, the Egyptians, through hatred, name them not, but call
them the pyramids of the shepherd Philitis, who at that time kept sheep in
those parts; which seems to point at the Israelites, the beloved people of God,
who were shepherds.
Exodus 1:12 12 But the more they
afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of
the children of Israel.
YLT 12and as they afflict it, so it multiplieth,
and so it breaketh forth, and they are vexed because of the sons of Israel;
But the more
they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew,.... Became
more numerous, "and broke out"F2יפיץ
"erumpebat", Junius & Tremellius, Drusius, Tigurine version. , 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 labour in building cities, to have
weakened their strength, and made them unfit for the procreation of children;
but instead of that, the more hard labour they were put unto, the more
healthful and the stronger they were, and 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; who grow like the
palm tree, which the more weight it has upon it the more it grows; 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; see Acts 12:1.
and they were
grieved because of the children of Israel; because of their
multiplication and increase, and because their schemes for lessening them did
not succeed; they were as thorns in their eyes, as some interpret the word, as
JarchiF3בפרך "in fractione",
Cajetan. apud Rivet. observes.
Exodus 1:13 13 So the Egyptians made the
children of Israel serve with rigor.
YLT 13and the Egyptians cause the sons of Israel to
serve with rigour,
And the
Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour. Or with
breachF3בפרך "in fractione",
Cajetan. apud Rivet. , 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.
Exodus 1:14 14 And they made their lives
bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in
the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with
rigor.
YLT 14and make their lives bitter in hard service,
in clay, and in brick, and in every [kind] of service in the field; all their
service in which they have served [is] with rigour.
And they made
their lives bitter with hard bondage,.... So that they had no
ease of body nor peace of mind; they had no comfort of life, their lives and mercies
were embittered to them:
in mortar and
in brick, and in all manner of service of the field; if Pelusium
was one of the cities they built, that had its name from clay, the soil about
it being clayish, and where the Israelites might be employed in making brick
for the building of that and other cities: JosephusF4Antiqu. l. 2.
c. 9. sect. 1. says, they were ordered to part the river (Nile) into many
canals, to build walls about cities, and raise up mounds, lest the water
overflowing the banks should stagnate; and to build pyramids, obliging them to
learn various arts, and inure themselves to labour: so Philo the Jew saysF5De
Vita Mosis, l. 1. p. 608. , some worked in the clay, forming it into bricks,
and others in carrying straw: some were appointed to build private houses,
others the walls of cities, and to cut ditches and canals in the river, and
obliged day and night to carry burdens, so that they had no rest, nor were they
suffered to refresh themselves with sleep; and some say that they were not only
employed in the fields in ploughing and sowing and the like, but in carrying of
dung thither, and all manner of uncleanness: of their being employed in
building of pyramids and canals; see Gill on Genesis 47:11.
all their
service wherein they made them serve was with rigour; they not only
put them to hard work, but used them in a very churlish and barbarous manner,
abusing them with their tongues, and beating them with their hands: Philo in
the above place says, the king not only compelled them to servile works, but
commanded them heavier things than they could bear, heaping labours one upon
another; and if any, through weakness, withdrew himself, it was judged a
capital crime, and the most merciless and cruel were set over them as
taskmasters.
Exodus 1:15 15 Then the king of Egypt
spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and
the name of the other Puah;
YLT 15And the king of Egypt speaketh to the
midwives, the Hebrewesses, (of whom the name of the one [is] Shiphrah, and the
name of the second Puah),
And the king of
Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives,.... It is difficult to
say who these midwives were, whether Egyptian or Hebrew women. Josephus is of
opinion that they were Egyptians, and indeed those the king was most likely to
succeed with; and it may seem improbable that he should offer such a thing to
Hebrew women, who he could never think would ever comply with it, through
promises or threatenings; and the answer they afterwards gave him, that the
Hebrew women were not as the Egyptian women, looks as if they were of the
latter: and yet, after all, 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; nor does it seem probable that
the Hebrew women should have Egyptian midwives, and not those of their own
nation; and they were such as feared the Lord; and the Targums of Jonathan and
Jerusalem are express for it, and they pretend to tell us who they were:
"of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other
Puah"; the one, they say, was Jochebed, the wife of Amram, and mother of
Moses and Aaron, and the other Miriam their sister; and this is the sense of
many of the Jewish writersF6T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 11. 2. Midrash
Kohelet, fol. 74. 1. Jarchi in loc. : but whatever may be said for Jochebed, it
is not credible that Miriam should be a midwife, who was but a girl, or maid,
at this time, about seven years of age, as the following chapter shows, and
much less one of so much repute as to be spoke to by the king. It may seem
strange, that only two should be spoke to on this account, when, as Aben Ezra
supposes, there might be five hundred of them: to which it may be answered,
that these were the most noted in their profession, and the king began with
these, that if he could succeed with them, he would go on to prevail on others,
or engage them to use their interest with others to do the like; or these might
be the midwives of the principal ladies among the Israelites, in one of whose
families, according as his magicians had told, as the Targum of Jonathan
observes, should be born a son, by whom the land of Egypt would be destroyed;
of which JosephusF7Ut supra. (Antiq. l. 2. c. 9. sect. 1.) also
takes notice; and therefore he might be chiefly solicitous to destroy the male
children of such families; but Aben Ezra thinks, that these two were the chief
over the rest of the midwives, and who collected and paid to the king the
tribute out of their salaries, which was laid upon them, and so he had an
opportunity of conversing with them on this subject.
Exodus 1:16 16 and he said, “When you do
the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the
birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is
a daughter, then she shall live.”
YLT 16and saith, `When ye cause the Hebrew women to
bear, and have looked on the children; if it [is] a son -- then ye have put him
to death; and if it [is] a daughter -- then she hath lived.'
And he said,
when ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women,.... Deliver
them of their children:
and see them
upon the stools; seats for women in labour 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; wherefore KimchiF8Sepher Shorash. rad. אבן.
thinks the word here used signifies the place to which the infant falls down
from its mother's belly, at the time of labour, and is called the place of the
breaking forth of children, and takes it to be the "uterus" itself;
and says it is called "Abanim", because "Banim", the
children, are there, and supposes "A" or "Aleph" to be an
additional letter; and so the sense then is, not when ye see the women on the
seats, but the children in the place of coming forth; but then he asks, if it
be so, why does he say, "and see them" there? could they see them
before they were entirely out of the womb? to which he answers, they know by
this rule, if a son, its face was downwards, and if a daughter, its face was
upwards; how true this is, must be left to those that know better; the Jewish
mastersF9T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 11. 1. Niddah, fol. 31. 2. constantly
and positively affirm it: he further observes, that the word is of the dual
number, because of the two valves of the womb, through which the infant passes:
if it be a son,
then ye shall kill him; give it a private pinch as it comes forth, while under their
hands, that its death might seem to be owing to the difficulty of its birth, or
to something that happened in it. This was ordered, because what the king had
to fear from the Israelites was only from the males, and they only could
multiply their people; and because of the above information of his magicians,
if there is any truth in that:
but if it be a
daughter, then she shall live, be kept alive, and preserved, and brought
up to woman's estate; and this the king chose to have done, having nothing to
fear from them, being of the feeble sex, and that they might serve to gratify
the lust of the Egyptians, who might be fond of Hebrew women, being more
beautiful than theirs; or that they might be married and incorporated into
Egyptian families, there being no males of their own, if this scheme took
place, to match with them, and so by degrees the whole Israelitish nation would
be mixed with, and swallowed up in the Egyptian nation, which was what was
aimed at.
Exodus 1:17 17 But the midwives feared
God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children
alive.
YLT 17And the midwives fear God, and have not done
as the king of Egypt hath spoken unto them, and keep the lads alive;
But the
midwives feared God,.... And therefore durst not take away the life of an human
creature, which was contrary to the express law of God, Genesis 9:6,
and did not as
the king of Egypt commanded them; knowing it was right to
obey God rather than man, though ever so great, or in so exalted a station:
but saved the
men children alive; did not use any violence with them, by stifling them in the
birth. The scheme was so barbarous and shocking, especially to the tender sex,
to whom it was proposed, and so devoid of humanity, that one would think it
should never enter into the heart of man.
Exodus 1:18 18 So the king of Egypt
called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and
saved the male children alive?”
YLT 18and the king of Egypt calleth for the
midwives, and saith to them, `Wherefore have ye done this thing, and keep the
lads alive?'
And the king
called for the midwives,.... Perceiving, by the increase of the Israelites, that they did
not obey his commands:
and said unto
them, why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? not only did
not kill them, but did everything for them that was necessary for their future
preservation and health; see Ezekiel 16:4.
Exodus 1:19 19 And the midwives said to
Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for
they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”
YLT 19And the midwives say unto Pharaoh, `Because
the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women, for they [are] lively; before
the midwife cometh in unto them -- they have borne!'
And the
midwives said unto Pharaoh, because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian
women,.... Not so tender, weak, and feeble, nor so ignorant of
midwifery, and needed not the assistance of midwives, as the Egyptian women:
for they are
lively; or midwives themselves, as KimchiF11Sepher Shorash. חיה "sie alii", כי חיות הנה "quia obstetrices
ipsae", Pagninus, Montanus; so the Syriac version. says the word
signifies; and soF12 μαιαι
γαρ εισι, Symmachus apud Drusium. Symmachus translates the words,
"for they are midwives"; or are skilful in the art of midwifery, as
Jarchi interprets it; and so the, Vulgate Latin version is, "for they have
knowledge of midwifery"; and so could help themselves; or, "for they
are as beasts"F13In T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 11. 1. Chronicon Mosis,
fol. 2. 1. , as animals which need not, nor have the assistance of any in
bringing forth their young; and so Jarchi observes, that their RabbinsF14Vid
Wagenseil. Sotah, p. 249. & Varro & Gataker in ib. explain it, they are
like to the beasts of the field, who have no need of a midwife; or they were so
lively, hale, and strong, as our version, and others, and their infants also,
through a more than common blessing of God upon them at this time, that they
brought forth children as soon as they were in travail, with scarce any pain or
trouble, without the help of others: nor need this seem strange, if what is
reported is true, of women in Illyria, Ireland, ItalyF15Posidonius
apud Strabo. Geograph. l. 3. p. 114. , and other placesF16See
Harte's History of the Life of Gustavus Adelphus, vol. 1. p. 233. , where it is
said women will go aside from their work, or from the table, and bring forth
their offspring, and return to their business or meal again; and especially in
the eastern and hotter countries, women generally bring forth without much difficulty,
and without the use of a midwifeF17Ludolph. Ethiopic. l. 1. c. 14. :
and are
delivered ere the midwives come in unto them; which doubtless was true
in some cases, though not in all, because it is before said, they saved the men
children alive; and had it been so at all times, there would have been no proof
and evidence of their fearing God, and obeying his commands, rather than the
king's; and in some cases not only the strength and liveliness of the Hebrew
women, and their fears also, occasioned by the orders of the king, might hasten
their births before the midwives could get to them; and they might not choose
to send for them, but use their own judgment, and the help of their neighbours,
and do without them, knowing what the midwives were charged to do.
Exodus 1:20 20 Therefore God dealt well
with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty.
YLT 20And God doth good to the midwives, and the
people multiply, and are very mighty;
Wherefore God
dealt well with the midwives,.... He approved of their conduct upon the
whole, however difficult it may be to clear them from all blame in this matter;
though some think that what they said was the truth, though they might not tell
all the truth; yea, that they made a glorious confession of their faith in God,
and plainly told the king, that it was nothing but the immediate hand of God
that the Hebrew women were so lively and strong, and therefore were resolved
not to oppose it, let him command what he would; so Dr. LightfootF18Works,
vol. 1. p. 700. , who takes the midwives to be Egyptians:
and the people
multiplied, and waxed very mighty; became very numerous,
and strong, and robust, being the offspring of such lively women.
Exodus 1:21 21 And
so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for
them.
YLT 21and it cometh to pass, because the midwives
have feared God, that He maketh for them households;
And it came to
pass, because the midwives feared God,.... And regarded his
command, and not that of the king, though they risked his displeasure, and
their lives:
that he made them
houses; which some understand of the Israelites making houses for them,
being moved to it by the Lord, to preserve them from the insults of the
Egyptians; others of Pharaoh building houses for them, in which he kept them,
until the Hebrew women came to their time of delivery, who were ordered to be
brought to these houses, that it might be known by others, as well as the
midwives, whether they brought forth sons or daughters, neither of which is
likely: but rather the sense is, that God made them houses, and hid them from
Pharaoh, as Kimchi interprets it, that he might not hurt them, just as he hid
Jeremiah and Baruch: though it seems best of all to understand it of his
building up the families of these midwives, increasing their number, especially
their substance and wealth, making them and their households prosperous in all
worldly good; but because the word is in the masculine gender, some choose to
interpret it either of the infants themselves, the male children the midwives
preserved, and of their being built up families in Israel, or by means of whom
they were built up; or of the Israelites themselves, whose houses were built up
by their means: and others are of opinion that material houses or buildings are
meant, built for the Israelites, that the midwives might know where to find
them and their wives, when ready to lie in, who before lived up and down in
fields and tents: but the sense of God's building up the families of the
midwives is to be preferred, there being an enallage or change of the gender,
which is not unusual; see Exodus 15:21.
Exodus 1:22 22 So Pharaoh commanded all
his people, saying, “Every son who is born[c] you shall
cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”
YLT 22and Pharaoh layeth a charge on all his
people, saying, `Every son who is born -- into the River ye do cast him, and
every daughter ye do keep alive.'
And Pharaoh
charged all his people,.... Finding he could not carry his point with the midwives, he
gave a general order to all his people everywhere:
saying, every
son that is born ye shall cast into the river; the river Nile; not
every son born in his kingdom, for this would have ruined it in time; but that
was born to the Jews, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; and it is added
in the Septuagint version, to the Hebrews:
and every
daughter ye shall save alive; for the reasons given See Gill on Exodus 1:16.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Exodus 1:5
Literally who came from the loins of
b.
Exodus 1:5 Dead
Sea Scrolls and Septuagint read seventy-five (compare Acts 7:14).
c.Exodus 1:22
Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, and Targum add to the Hebrews.