1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

6 And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.

7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

9 And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falls out any war, they join also to our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor:

14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.

15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

16 And he said, When you do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the stools; if it be a son, then you shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, Why have you done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?

19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in to them.

20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.

Now. The conj. "now" = "and"; thus connecting Exodus closely with Genesis: Leviticus, Numbers, and Deut. begin in the same way. Thus the Pentateuch is one book. For the relation of Exodus to the other books of the Pentateuch, see App-1.

names. Thus Redemption is connected with names. Compare Exo 1:1-4 with Exo 39:6, Exo 39:7, Exo 39:8-14.

The Name of the Redeemer is published throughout. He reveals His name: Exo 3:14, Exo 3:15; Exo 6:3; Exo 33:19; Exo 34:5-7.
Moses speaks to Pharaoh in His name: Exo 5:23.
Pharaoh raised up to add glory to it: Exo 9:16.
Law given in the name of Jehovah: Exo 20:2.
His name in the Angel: Exo 23:21.
God knows Moses by his name: Exo 33:12, Exo 33:17.
Bezaleel and Aholiab, &c.: Exo 31:26; Exo 35:30, Exo 35:34.
Names of Israel’s sons: Exo 1:1-4; and Exo 28:9-12, Exo 28:15-21; Exo 39:6, Exo 39:7, Exo 39:8-14.

children = sons; and so throughout O.T.

came into Egypt. Compare Genesis 46.

man. Hebrew. ’ish. See App-14.

Reuben. The order is the six sons of Leah, one of Rachel, two of Bilhah, and two of Zilpah. Note the Introversion of these four.

souls. Hebrew. nephesh (App-13).

seventy. See on Gen 46:26, Deu 10:22, and Act 7:14.

all. Levi survived him about twenty-three years. Compare Gen 50:26 and Exo 6:16. Exo 6:7 And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6), greatly emphasising each particular. Note five "ands", the number of grace. See App-10.

fruitful; as trees.

increased. Hebrew. swarmed, as fishes,

multiplied. Compare Gen 1:28.

exceeding. Figure of speech Epizeuxis (App-6), repeated for emphasis. Hebrew. exceedingly. Figure of speech Epizeuxis (App-6). Note the Figure of speech Synonymia (App-6).

arose. Hebrew Kum, stood up. Always denotes a standing up in the place of another whom he removed. See Dan 2:31, Dan 2:39, Dan 2:44; Dan 3:24.

new king = a fresh dynasty. "New "here is used in the sense of being quite different from what preceded. See Deu 32:17. Jdg 5:8, and compare heteros in Act 7:18, "another "of a different kind [not allos, another of the same kind]. This Pharaoh was of a different race and dynasty, as shown by Josephus, who says "the crown being come into another family" (Antiquities ii, 9). He was the Assyrian of Isa 52:4. See App-37.

deal wisely = diplomatically. The wisdom of Egypt ended in Pharaoh having to bring up, educate, and prepare the very man who was to accomplish what he feared. Compare Job 5:13. Pro 19:21; Pro 19:21, Pro 19:30, Psa 33:10, Psa 33:11. Zoan was the capital of Egypt, and noted for wisdom. But compare God’s comment in Isa 19:11, Isa 19:13; and Psa 78:12, Psa 78:13.

falleth out. Aramaean, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Septuagint read "befall us. "

taskmasters. Hebrew. sarei missim is Egyptian for chiefs of tribute, allotters and exactors of labour.

treasure cities = store cities. All now known and named.

Pithom is the Egyptian Pa-Tum, the abode of the god Tuna = the Greek Heroopolis = city of the store-houses.

Raamses. Said to be so called because built by Ramases II, but not certain.

multiplied and grew = increasingly multiplied. Figure of speech Hendiadys (App-6).

grieved = filled with alarm.

with rigour = crushingly.

the king of Egypt. See App-37.

them: i.e. the children.

stools. Hebrew "two stones". Probably the stone bath in which the children were bathed.

kill him. This was another assault of Satan, to destroy the male children, and so prevent "the seed of the woman "from coming into the world. See App-23, But God intervened by providing the Hebrew midwives, and preserving and preparing Moses.

God. Hebrew. Eth ha-’Elohim, very emphatic for the true or triune God.

as = according as.

saved = suffered. . . . to live.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.

houses = families. or progeny. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject). App-6.

born. Samaritan Pentateuch, Targum of Onkelos, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, and Vulgate add "to the Hebrews. "

save alive = suffer to live.