1
These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; each came 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 seventy souls; and Joseph was already in Egypt.
6
Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.
7
And the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
8
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
9
And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.
10
Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that when war breaks out, they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”
11
Therefore taskmasters were set over them to afflict them with hard labor; and they built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew; and they were in dread of the children of Israel.
13
And the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with harshness,
14
and made their lives bitter with hard labor, in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of work in the field; all their labor in which they made them serve was with harshness.
15
Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, and said,
16
“When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth, and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”
17
But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
18
So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the male children live?”
19
And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous, and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”
20
Therefore God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very strong.
21
And because the midwives feared God, He gave them households.
22
Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but every daughter you shall let live.”
🧱🍼 Summary of Exodus 1
Exodus 1 opens a new chapter after the age of the patriarchs. After the death of Joseph and the generation before him, the people of Israel multiplied greatly in Egypt, but pressure and oppression began when a new king arose who did not know Joseph.
1. The Growth of Israel’s Descendants in Egypt (verses 1–7)
- A list of Jacob’s sons who came to Egypt.
- The number of Israel’s descendants increased greatly; they became a strong and numerous people.
2. The Rise of a New Oppressing King (verses 8–14)
- A new Pharaoh came to the throne and did not know Joseph.
- He feared that the large number of Israelites would become a threat if war came.
- So Pharaoh enslaved the people of Israel, forcing them to build the cities of Pithom and Raamses.
3. The Command to Kill the Male Children (verses 15–22)
- Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives (Shiphrah and Puah) to kill every male child born.
- But the midwives feared God and refused to do it.
- God blessed the midwives because of their sincerity.
- Pharaoh then commanded that every Hebrew male child be thrown into the Nile River.
📖 Main Lessons
- The progress of God’s people often stirs opposition from the world.
- Fear and power can lead people to oppress one another.
- The fear of God must be greater than the fear of man.
- Faithfulness to God can be shown through the courage of humble people, such as the midwives.
- Human evil will not stop the growth of God’s purpose.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- Exodus 1 describes the beginning of suffering, but also the beginning of the Lord’s great presence.
- Though Pharaoh wanted to destroy the new generation, God used that pressure to shape His people.
- The faithfulness of the midwives shows that brave actions and the fear of God can have a great effect in the history of salvation.
