Exodus 1

From Theologica

Overview

Recap of how Israel came to be in Egypt (1:1 - 1:7) Observations - - 1:1 "Now these are the names of the sons of Israel..." This is similar to those passages in Genesis which talk about the generations of so and so. Some () have argued that that marks the end of a "book", but this would imply it is the mark of the beginning if Moses is indeed the author of both. - 1:2-1:4 = Uses almost the same ordering (Joseph is not included [1:5])of names as that in 35:23-26.

   (Leah's sons, Rachel's sons, Bilhah's (Rachel's maid) sons, Zilpah's (Leah's maid) sons)
   ? Is the order important?

- 1:5 Seventy people came into Egypt, not counting Joseph. 600,000 men went out of Egypt. Many estimate there were 2+ million in all. In 430 years, if 70 people are increasing by a factor of 2, there should be plenty of people. I need to look into the calculations of this. Remember that people are dying. - 1:7 "But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them."

Interpretation - - 1:7 God blessed them, not because of anything they did, but because of His promise to Abraham. God was making a nation. - Much of Exodus is the fulfillment of Gen 15:12-14

Application - - Perhaps something along the lines of how God fulfills His promises.

A new king in Egypt/Israel multiplies (1:8 - 1:14) Observations - - 1:8 - Some have concluded that a "new king" was a king from outside of Egypt who conquered the land. - 1:9 - It seems that the Jews are either more plentiful than the original inhabitants (seems unlikely) or they were more plentiful than the conquering nation. This verse takes place before their enslavement. Does the word "mighty" mean they were stronger on average than the other inhabitants of the land? - 1:10 - The fear of the new kings seems to be that Israel would, for some unspecified reason, join with the enemies of Egypt. He feared their departure from Egypt. It seems that the king has a slave-economy type mindset. Why would he fear Israel unless he either had planned to do evil to them or had already begun to? - 1:11 - Here it seems that Israel is in an enslaved state. As slaves, they built the "storage cities" of Pithom and Raamses. Taskmasters were Egyptian. Foremen, seen in 3:7 and 5:6+, were Israelis.

   - Pithom and Raamses would be left empty after the plagues.

- 1:12 - In spite of their affliction, Israel multiplied and spread throughout Egypt.

   - Why?  Why would affliction cause multiplication?  Was this to increase the Egyptians loss?
   - Why would God multiply Israel so much under slavery?
   - How does this fit with the Exodus?

- 1:13-14 - The Israelites were tasked with building ("mortar and bricks) and labors "in the field". Building and farming.

   - Would these trades be useful in the future? 
   - Israel wanders in the desert for forty years, will they remember what they learned in Egypt?
   - Especially with the loss of the generation?
   - Egypt would have great buildings built for them, but with the loss of the firstborn and Isreal, they would be desolate.
   - Egypt would become dependent on their slaves and would be left without everything.

Interpretation - - I'm not sure what is required of my to interpret. This seems to be just a narrative.

Application - - God's plans are not subject to man's involvement. As God cannot be influenced by the world, neither can His plans.

Pharaoh's evil command (1:15 - 11:22) Observation - - 1:15-16 There were only two midwives for all of the Jews? Or were there just two who were tasked with the onerous duty of murdering infants?

   - Why just the boys?  The girls are the ones who are able to reproduce.  But then a man without a wife is a dangerous thing.

- 1:17 "But the midwives feared God..." Shiphrah and Puah go down in history as the midwives who feared God.

   - They feared God more than Pharaoh, who is supposed to be a god.
   - They intentionally disobeyed one who was reckoned to be a god.

- 1:18-19 Pharaoh calls the midwives to account for their action. The midwives lie saying the "Hebrew women...are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get the them."

   - "before the midwife"  This seems like these two ladies may be in charge of midwives.
   - Did they really lie?  Or did they command their charges to be slow in their duties thus enabling the Hebrew women to give birth prior.

- 1:20-21 In spite of the "lie" God "was good" to the midwives.

   - God continued to grow the population of the Hebrews
   - "Because the midwives feared God"...
      - He established households for them

- 1:22 Pharoah commands all of his people to kill the sons of the Hebrews.

   - This comes back to haunt Pharaoh
   - The Nile, which is the source of life for Egypt, becomes the grave for Hebrew boys.  (How can the Hebrews forget this?)

Interpretation - - We are not guaranteed material success and prosperity just because God chose to bless the midwives. But it is a possibility. - The midwives did what they did "Because they feared God" not because of what they hoped to receive in return. - Lying is not condoned. If they did lie, God chose to bless them in spite of their sin, not because of it. - Pharaoh's command of infanticide eventually is repaid in full.

Application - - We are to be obedient because we fear the Lord, not because of what we might receive. - With the knowledge of what the Egyptians did to their babies, how could any Hebrew want to come back to slavery? But then, why do Christians, with the full knowledge of the enslavement of sin seek to do the very same thing?