2. The Israelites’ bondage in Egypt 1:8-22This pericope serves a double purpose. It introduces the rigorous conditions under which the Egyptians forced the Israelites to live, and it sets the stage for the birth of Moses. read more
Plan B consisted of ordering the Hebrew midwives to kill all the male Hebrew babies at birth. Albriight confirmed that these women’s names were Semitic. [Note: W. F. Albright, "Northwest-Semitic Names in a List of Egyptian Slaves from the Eighteenth Century B.C.," Journal of the American Oriental Society 74 (1954):233.] "They were to kill them, of course, secretly, in such a way that the parents and relatives would be unaware of the crime, and would think that the infant had died of natural... read more
Oppression of the Israelites5. Seventy souls] Jacob himself is included in the number: cp. Genesis 46:8-27. Of the seventy, sixty-eight were males. If to the direct descendants of Jacob we add the wives of his sons and grandsons, and the husbands of his daughters and grand-daughters, and all their servants with their families, it appears that the total number of those who entered Egypt was very considerable, several hundreds if not thousands. This fact, as well as the acknowlodged prolificness... read more
(19) The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women.—This was probably true; but it was not the whole truth. Though the midwives had the courage to disobey the king, they had not “the courage of their convictions,” and were afraid to confess their real motive. So they took refuge in a half truth, and pretended that what really occurred in some cases only was a general occurrence. It is a fact, that in the East parturition is often so short a process that the attendance of a midwife is dispensed... read more
(20) Therefore God dealt well with the midwives.—Heb., and God dealt well, &c. The reason is stated in Exodus 1:21. It was not because they equivocated and deceived the king, but because they feared God sufficiently to disobey the king, and run the risk of discovery. If they had been discovered, their life would have paid the forfeit. read more
Exodus 1:8 It is a rare thing to find posterity heirs of their father's love. How should men's favour be but like themselves, variable and inconstant! There is no certainty but in the favour of God, in whom can be no change, whose love is entailed upon a thousand generations. Bishop Hall. Exodus 1:10 Crimes and criminals are swept away by time, nature finds an antidote for their poisons, and they and their ill consequences alike are blotted out and perish. If we do not forgive the villain at... read more
THE OPPRESSION.Exodus 1:7-22.At the beginning of the history of Israel we find a prosperous race. It was indeed their growing importance, and chiefly their vast numerical increase, which excited the jealousy of their rulers, at the very time when a change of dynasty removed the sense of obligation. It is a sound lesson in political as well as personal godliness that prosperity itself is dangerous, and needs special protection from on high.Is it merely by chance again that we find in this first... read more
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 1:1-7 ) 2. The new king and his policy (Exodus 1:8-11 ) 3. The continued increase (Exodus 1:12 ) 4. Their hard bondage (Exodus 1:13-14 ) 5. The midwives commanded (Exodus 1:15-16 ) 6. Their disobedience and God’s reward (Exodus 1:17-21 ) 7. Pharaoh’s charge to all his people (Exodus 1:22 ) The... read more
1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew {g} women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.(g) Their disobedience in this was lawful, but their deception is evil. read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Exodus 1:1-21
I. THE LIBERATION OF ISRAEL 1:1-15:21"The story of the first half of Exodus, in broad summary, is Rescue. The story of the second half, in equally broad summary, is Response, both immediate response and continuing response. And binding together and undergirding both Rescue and Response is Presence, the Presence of Yahweh from whom both Rescue and Response ultimately derive." [Note: Durham, p. xxiii.] A. God’s preparation of Israel and Moses chs. 1-4 read more