Esodo 1:9

9 Costui disse al suo popolo: Ecco, il popolo de’ figliuoli d’Israele è più grande e più possente di noi.

Esodo 1:9 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 1:9

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" ^F15; 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (br) "multus", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Rivet.

Esodo 1:9 In-Context

7 E i figliuoli d’Israele fruttarono e moltiplicarono copiosamente, e crebbero, e divennero grandemente possenti, talchè il paese fu ripieno di essi.

8 Or sorse un nuovo re sopra l’Egitto, il qual non avea conosciuto Giuseppe.

9 Costui disse al suo popolo: Ecco, il popolo de’ figliuoli d’Israele è più grande e più possente di noi.

10 Ora procediamo saggiamente intorno ad esso; che talora non moltiplichi; onde, se alcuna guerra avvenisse, egli non si congiunga anche esso co’ nostri nemici, e non guerreggi contro a noi, o se ne vada via dal paese.

11 Furono adunque costituiti sopra il popolo d’Israele commissari d’angherie, per affliggerlo con le lor gravezze. E il popolo edificò a Faraone delle città da magazzini, cioè, Pitom e Raamses.