Exodus 1

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Exodus Chapter 1

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Moses

Date Penned: (1450-1410 BC)

Overview: The Record of God's Deliverance of Israel (c 1-40)

Theme: Israel in Egypt (c 1-12)

Message: Slavery in Egypt (v 1-22)

Exodus 1 Commentary

(1:1-8) The Differences Between Israel and Egypt - The children of Israel (or Israelites) were the descendants of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel after he wrestled with the angel (see Genesis 32:24:30). Jacob's family had moved to Egypt at the invitation of Joseph, one of Jacob's sons, who had become a great ruler under Pharaoh. Jacob's family grew into a large nation. But as foreigners and newcomers, their lives were quite different from the Egyptians'. The Hebrews worshiped one God; the Egyptians worshiped many gods. The Hebrews were wanderers; the Egyptians had a deeply rooted culture. The Hebrews were shepherds; the Egyptians were builders. The Hebrews were also geographically separated from the Egyptians: They lived in Goshen, north of the great Egyptian cultural centers.

(1:9-10) Egypt Opresses Isreal - Pharaoh was afraid the Israelites were becoming so numerous that they would organize and threaten his kingdom, so he made them slaves and oppressed them to kill their spirit and stop their growth. Slavery was an ancient practice used by almost all nations to employ conquered people and other captives. Although Israel was not a conquered nation, the people were foreigners and thus lacked the rights of native Egyptians.

(1-11) Egypt had Levels of Slavery - Some slaves worked long hours in mud pits while others were skilled carpenters, jewelers, and artisans. Regardloss of their skill or level, all slaves were

watched closely by brutal taskmasters, supervisors whose assignment was to keep the slaves working as fast and as long as possible, thus making their lives miserable.

(1:12) Isreal Grows Dispite Persacution - The Egyptians tried to wear down the Hebrew people by forcing them into slavery and mistreating them. Instead, the Hebrews multiplied and grew stronger. When we are burdened or mistreated, we may feel defeated. But our burdens can make us stronger by driving us to prayer and developing perseverance in us that will prepare us for the future. We cannot be overcomers without troubles to overcome. Be true to God in the hard times because even the worst situations can make us better people.

(1:15-17) Egyptian Midwives - Shiphrah and Puah may have been supervisors over the other midwives, or they may have simply been given special mention. Hebrew midwives helped women give birth and cared for the babies until the mothers were stronger. When Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill the Hebrew baby boys, he was asking the wrong group of people. Midwives were committed to helping babies be born, not to killing them. These women showed great courage and love for God by risking their lives to disobey Pharaoh's command.

(1:17-18) The Midwives Disobey Pharoah - Against Pharaoh's orders, the midwives spared the Hebrew babies. Their faith in God gave them the courage to take a stand for what they knew was right. In this situation, disobeying the authority was proper. God does not expect us to obey those in authority when they ask us to disobey him or his Word. The Bible is filled with examples of those who were willing to sacrifice their very lives in order to obey God or save others. Esther and Mordecai (Esther 3:2; 4:13-16) and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (Daniel 3:16-18) were some of the people who took a bold stand for what was right. Whole nations can be caught up in immorality (racial hatred, slavery, prison cruelty); thus, following the majority or the authority is not always right. Whenever we are ordered to disobey God's Word, we must "obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

(1:19-21) The Midwives were Blessed - Did God bless the Hebrew midwives for lying to Pharaoh? No--God blessed them not because they lied but because they saved the lives of innocent children. This doesn't mean that a lie was necessarily the best way to answer Pharaoh. The midwives were blessed, however, for adhering to the higher law of God that forbids the senseless slaughter of innocent lives.

Dave Burnette's Life Application
Enemies

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we Start the book of Exodus with Chapter 1 and i n today's text we turn the page to the book of Exodus and see this family, Israel, be blessed of God and multiply. The Egyptians being threatened by the Israelites now place them into slavery and try to extinguish the people of God by killing their children to no avail. Many applications can be made from each days text but what catches my eye today is that you will have enemies. If you are a person who has a relationship with God you will have those who will be in opposition to you. Now God can deliver you but it is up to you to respond in Christ in the midst of the battle. We are to simply stand and trust the Lord, making decisions in accordance to Word of God. How about you? Are you saved? Are you a child of God? Then do you see these enemies in your life? If so simply stand and let the Lord fight your battles as you make decisions in accordance to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Exodus 1

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Exodus 1

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

²Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

³Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

⁴Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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