Exodus 1:1-7
We have here, I. God’s kindness to Israel, in multiplying them exceedingly (v. 1–7)
Israel Increases Greatly in Egypt
1 aThese are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were bseventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then cJoseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 dBut the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
1Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came each one with his household:
2Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah;
3Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin;
4Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5All the persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt.
6Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.
7But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.
II. The Egyptians’ wickedness to them, 1. Oppressing and enslaving them (v. 8–14)
8Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
9He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.
10“Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.”
11So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel.
13The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously;
14and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them.
Summary:
Commentaries and Study Bible Notes:
In these verses we have, 1. A recital of the names of the twelve patriarchs, as they are called, Acts 7:8. Their names are often repeated in scripture, that they may not sound uncouth to us, as other hard names, but that, by their occurring so frequently, they may become familiar to us; and to show how precious God’s spiritual Israel are to him, and how much he delights in them.
This wonderful increase was the fulfillment of the promise long before made unto the fathers.
Key Points/Application:
The Lord is Faithful
But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them
The Lord is Wise
Note, [1.] Sometimes God’s providences may seem for a great while to thwart his promises, and to go counter to them, that his people’s faith may be tried, and his own power the more magnified. [2.] Though the performance of God’s promises is sometimes slow, yet it is always sure; at the end it shall speak, and not lie, Hab. 2:3.
8But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
Death Inevitable
6Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.
Note, We must look upon ourselves and our brethren, and all we converse with, as dying and hastening out of the world. This generation passeth away, as that did which went before.