Exodus 1 Study Notes

1:12 The Moabites shared with the Egyptians this dread of the Israelites when they saw how numerous they were (Nm 22:3). Pharaoh’s scheme resulted in more Israelites and more fear among the Egyptians, not less of both as he had intended.

1:13-14 Five forms of the same Hebrew word are translated here with forms of “work” or “labor.” (A different word for labor is in v. 11.) The repetition drives home what the Egyptians were doing and also prepares for making a comparison, since the same word can refer to service in worship. The Lord would give the Israelites new work of a different sort (3:12; 4:23; 7:16,26; 8:1). Elsewhere forms of the word translated bitter describe situations of severe hardship and loss (Ru 1:13,20; 1Sm 30:6; 2Kg 4:27; Is 22:4).

1:15 In this book that takes a profound interest in identities, ironically the king is nameless, but the midwives who honored God are named. Verse 15 begins with the introduction to the king’s speech, but then it is as if the king could not speak until the midwives were identified. The delay is more obvious in Hebrew since v. 16 starts over with the same statement the king . . . said that starts v. 15.

1:16 Observe them as they deliver is literally “look at the stones,” meaning check the genitals. The orders are clear; the midwives must kill Israelite sons and let the daughters live.

1:17 By letting the boys live, the midwives showed that they feared God rather than Pharaoh (Ps 96; 112; Pr 1:7; 3:7; Ac 4:19; 5:29).

1:18-21 True or not, the midwives’ excuse about the superior ability of Hebrew women must have been believable since Pharaoh did not pursue the matter further.

1:22 When Pharaoh commanded all his people, his desperate desire to kill Israelites came out into the open.