Exodus 1:1-2:6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 1:1-7

In these verses we have, 1. A recital of the names of the twelve patriarchs, as they are called, Acts 7:8. Their names are often repeated in scripture, that they may not sound uncouth to us, as other hard names, but that, by their occurring so frequently, they may become familiar to us; and to show how precious God's spiritual Israel are to him, and how much he delights in them. 2. The account which was kept of the number of Jacob's family, when they went down into Egypt; they were in all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 1:1

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" F2 ואלה "et haec", Pagninus,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 1:1

These are the names - Though this book is a continuation or the book of Genesis, with which probably it was in former times conjoined, Moses thought it necessary to introduce it with an account of the names and number of the family of Jacob when they came to Egypt, to show that though they were then very few, yet in a short time, under the especial blessing of God, they had multiplied exceedingly; and thus the promise to Abraham had been literally fulfilled. See the notes on Genesis 46... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 1:1

Verse 1 1.These are the names It is the intention of Moses to describe the miraculous deliverance of the people, (from whence the Greeks gave the name to the book;) but, before he comes to that, he briefly reminds us that the promise given to Abraham was not ineffectual, that his seed should be multiplied “as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore.” (Genesis 22:17.) This, then, is the commencement of the book, — that although their going down from the land of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 1:1

Now these are the names . Literally, "And these are the names." Compare Genesis 46:8 , where the phrase used is the same. We have here the first example of that almost universal practice of fife writers of the Historical Scriptures to connect book with book in the closest possible way by the simple copulative "and." (Compare Joshua 1:1 , 1:1 , Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.) This practice, so unlike that of secular writers, can only be explained by the instinctive... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 1:1

Removal to Egypt. This early instance of emigration shows— I. How the CALL to leave the land of one's fathers may sometimes be 1 . Unexpected Jacob little expected to end his days in Egypt. 2 . Trying. Canaan, the land of promise, where were the graves of his ancestors, etc. 3 . Mysterious. An apparent reversal of the lines on which Providence had hitherto been moving. Yet— 4 . Distinct. Jacob had no doubt that God's call had come to him. It came first in providence,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 1:1-5

The patriarchal names. I. THE NAMES IN THEMSELVES . Nothing seems to the ordinary reader of Holy Scripture so dry and uninteresting as a bare catalogue of names. Objections are even made to reading them as parts of Sunday or week-day "lessons." But " ALL Scripture," rightly viewed, "is profitable" ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ). Each Hebrew name has a meaning, and was given with a purpose. What a wealth of joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, surmises, triumphs, jealousies, is hid up in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 1:1-6

The Book of Exodus, being written in continuation of the history recorded in Genesis, is carefully connected with it by a recapitulation. The recapitulation involves three points:— 1 . The names of Jacob's children; 2 . The number of Jacob's descendants who went down into Egypt; and 3 . The death of Joseph. Exodus 1:1-4 are a recapitulation of Genesis 35:22-26 ; Genesis 35:5 , of Genesis 46:27 ; and Genesis 46:6 , of Genesis 1:26 . In no case, however, is the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 1:1-6

The twelve foundations. The heads of the covenant race had hitherto been single individuals. Abraham—IsaActs—Jacob. The one now expands into the twelve. Glance briefly at this list of the patriarchs. I. THE MEN . Here we are struck— 1 . With the original unfitness of most of these men for the position of dignity they were afterwards called to occupy. How shall we describe them! Recall Reuben's incest; Simeon and Levi's cruelty; Judah's lewdness; the "evil report" which Joseph... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 1:1-7

Tarry thou the Lord's leisure. Introduction to the Book of Exodus. How much summed up in so few words. When men live history, every month seems important; when God records history a few sentences suffice for generations. Man ' s standpoint in the midst of the tumult is so different from God's: he "sitteth above the waterflood" and seeth "the end from the beginning" ( Psalms 29:10 ; Isaiah 46:10 ). From God's standpoint we have here as of main consequence— I. A LIST OF ... read more

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