Part 1:

Slavery in Egypt

Prologue: The story so far...

1:1-6

• Recap: Jacob & his family had previously journeyed to Egypt. [see Gen 46:6-27. This journey was about 350 years before Moses' birth; the Israelites eventually left Egypt 430 years after arriving there, see Ex 12:40-41, when Moses was 80 years old, see Ex 7:7]

1v1-A. Jacob (a.k.a. Israel) journeyed to Egypt;
1v1-B. Jacob's sons followed him to Egypt;
1v1-C. Jacob's sons brought their entire households to Egypt.

[They followed their father wholeheartedly by carrying all their family and possessions to Egypt. Having been promised the land of Canaan they also counted themselves as foreigners to that land (see Ex 6:4); they trusted in God and looked forward to a heavenly reward (cf. Abraham's example in Heb 11:13-16)]

1v2. Leah's eldest children (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah);
1v3-A. Leah's youngest children (Issachar, Zebulun);
1v3-B. Rachel's youngest child (Benjamin);
1v4-A. Bilhah's children for Rachel (Dan, Naphtali);
1v4-B. Zilpah's children for Leah (Gad, Asher);
1v5-A. Total number of descendants = 70 [including Jacob];
1v5-B. Rachel's eldest child (Joseph), who was already in Egypt.

[These are the patriarchs of Israel from whom the 12 tribes of Israel are named. These are the ones who led their descendants to Egypt by obeying their father (who in turn was obeying God, see Gen 46:1-4)]

1v6. The generation of Joseph & the patriarchs died.

[The old generation is gone; what will the next generation be like? Will they follow God, and the leader that God sends them, from Egypt to Canaan in the same wholehearted manner that the patriarchs followed Jacob from Canaan into Egypt?]

The Egyptians persecute the Israelites

1:7-10 

• The number of Israelites grows large, causing a new king, PharaohC, to become worried [PharaohsA+B appear in Gen 12:15, 41:1]

1v7. The Israelites:
A- Were fruitful (Heb. "Parah" = "Bore-fruit" / they grew or flourished)
B- Increased in numbers (Heb. "Sharats" = literally "Swarmed")
C- Multiplied (Heb. "Rabah" = "Increased" in number)
D- Grew mighty (Heb. "Atsam" = became powerful or numerous)
E- Filled the land (Heb. "Male Erets" = Filled the Earth)

[Note the similarities to the blessing given to Adam and Eve in Gen 1:28:
"God blessed them and said,
- Be Fruitful (Heb. "Parah" = "Bear-fruit" / grow or flourish)
- Multiply  (Heb. "Rabah" = "Increase" in number)
- Fill the earth (Heb. "Male Eth Erets" = Fill The Earth)
- Subdue it [the earth] and have dominion over every living thing."

The first three parts of the blessing are already being fulfilled. The fourth part is not, but certainly this concept becomes a worry to Pharaoh. Although Pharaoh never uses the specific words "subdue" or "have dominion", he certainly will begin to fear that the Israelites may subdue Egypt or gain dominion over his land (see notes on v10). NB. the blessing in Genesis refers to mankind subduing the earth (the soil, architecture, farming, etc) and having dominion over living things (birds, fish, animals) but it does not refer to slavery and oppression of other human beings; Pharaoh may think he is blessed as the powerful king of Egypt, forcing his slaves to work the soil and build his cities, but eventually the Egyptians will receive God's curse]

1v8. A new king of Egypt comes to power who does not know Joseph.

[Either Pharaoh had never heard of Joseph, or more-likely he did not "know" Joseph in the sense that he did not acknowledge Joseph as the saviour of Egypt, and did not wish to give him any honour. Ironically, this "new king" remains unnamed in this story so that subsequent readers may not "know" exactly who he is, whereas Joseph is called by his given birth name. This refusal to acknowledge God or His people is carried on  by the subsequent Pharaoh who will also claim ignorance by saying that he does not "know" Israel's God, in the sense that he refuses to acknowledge Him as the true God, see Ex 5:2]

1v9. The king has a problem with the Israelites, and he says:
A- The Israelites are "more" than the Egyptians (Heb. "Rab" = Abundant; cf. v7 "Rabah" = they had "Multiplied" / "Increased" in number)
B- The Israelites are "mightier" than the Egyptians (Heb. "Atsum" = Powerful or numerous; cf. v7 "Atsam" = they were mighty, powerful or numerous)

[The blessing of God upon the Israelites cannot be ignored and the king has noticed. His advisors haven't raised this as an issue; he takes the initiative himself.]

1v10. The king needs to act shrewdly because he foresees that the Israelites:
A- may continue to "multiply" even more (Heb. "Rabah" = "Increase" in number);
B- may join with Egypt's enemies and fight against Egypt;
C- may rise up from the land (Heb. "Alah Min Erets" = literally "Ascend from Out of the Earth")

[This is often translated to mean 'rise up and leave the land', however it seems more likely to me that Pharaoh is worried that the Israelites will 'rise up from the dust' to gain ascendancy over the land and become the rulers of Egypt in his place (see New American Commentary). This ties in with the blessing of God that his people would "fill the earth and subdue it" (see my notes on v7) , and this is precisely what Pharaoh is worried about. The king sees the Israelites as a threat to his own power (cf. Herod in Matt 2:1-3)]

1:11-14 Persecution #1

• The Israelites are enslaved to become builders & farmers for the Egyptians

1v11-A. The Egyptians appoint "taskmasters" (literally, "chief-burdeners") to "oppress" (or humble) the Israelites with "burdens" (or heavy-loads);
1v11-B. They build Pithom & Ramases as storage-cities.

[In v10, Pharaoh had said that the Egyptians needed to act shrewdly to stop the Israelites taking over. Now in v11 it appears that his advisors have come up with a shrewd plan: keep them humble and they will learn that Pharaoh holds the power in Egypt; they are mere slaves and there is no way they can stand against the mighty power of Egypt]

1v12-A. The more the Israelites are oppressed, the more they multiply (Heb. "Rabah" = "Increase" in number);
1v12-B. The Israelites spread out [encroaching on more of the land];
1v12-C. The Egyptians become distressed by the Israelites.

[In v9-10, Pharaoh inadvertently planted the seed of fear in his own people by pointing out that the Israelites may increase in number and may take over the land. And now, possibly due to the movement of slaves, the Israelites are not simply located in one district, and the Egyptians seem to see them in all locations. Pharaoh had planned that the Israelites would fear the Egyptians, but his plans are backfiring as, instead, more and more Egyptians are becoming distressed by the abundant Israelite population. The Israelites began being oppressed because the taskmasters feared Pharaoh as king, and obeyed him; But now their focus is not so much on fearing Pharaoh, but more on fearing the Israelites.]

1v13. The Egyptians become ruthless by burdening the Israelites with cruel servitude and hard labour

[The Egyptian taskmasters now focus on the Israelites as their enemies and cruelly mistreat them. They force the Israelites to "serve" (Heb. "Abad") in a cruel, rigorous and harsh manner. God will use this same word ("Abad") in Ex 8:1, when He tells Pharaoh that the people should be set free to "serve" God instead of Pharaoh (NB. some English translations translate the word "Abad" as "worship" in verses that speak of the Israelites serving God)]

1v14. The Israelites lives are made bitter by the cruel servitude, being forced to work with mortar, with bricks, and in the fields

[Whether in the cities or out in the fields, there seems no way for the Hebrews to escape the cruelty of the Egyptians. This is now not just affecting them physically, but also emotionally so that they become embittered by the experience. As already noted (see notes on v7), God's intention was that humans should be blessed by subduing the earth (fashioning the fields and cities for habitation), but Pharaoh has turned the blessing into a curse so that the Israelites find absolutely no joy in their labours]

1:15-22 Persecution #2

• PharaohC says, ‘Kill all Israelite baby boys!’ The Hebrew midwives disobey

1v15. The king speaks to the midwives, Shiphrah & Puah

[Note that the king remains unnamed and counted as "unknown" to the Israelites (cf. notes on v8), whereas the midwives are "known", being recognised and acknowledged by name]

1v16. The king tells the midwives to kill all the baby boys born to the Israelites, but to let the girls live

[The king is specifically afraid of any possible military power that the Israelites may wield against him (see v10), hence the decision to decrease the amount of men who could form a future army. Women were not seen as a threat to the king so there was no need to kill them.]

1v17. The midwives fear God so they do not kill the baby boys

[The midwives fear God more than they fear the king. Ironically, the king did not expect any girls to ever be a threat to him, yet here the midwives actively thwart his plans. Likewise, his own daughter will also act to thwart his plans in Ex 2:5-10]

1v18. The king summons the midwives and asks, why have they let the boys live?

[As far as the king is concerned, he wields the power over who lives and who dies in his kingdom, and so he demands an explanation. This is a time of jeopardy for our heroic midwives; will they be sentenced to death for disobeying the king? How will they respond to the question?]

1v19. The midwives explain that there is a difference between Israelite women and Egyptian women. The Israelite women give birth before the midwives arrive because they are "lively" (KJV) or "vigorous" (NIV)

[I have read a number of commentaries which suggest that the midwives are telling lies to Pharaoh, but the text itself does not explicitly state whether their testimony is true or false. We, the readers, are simply given their testimony and we are left to make our own minds up as to whether we believe them or not. If we state that they are lying, then the story becomes simply that they deceived Pharaoh for selfish reasons in order to save their own lives (Pharaoh still planned to kill babies; the testimony itself did not save any babies, it simply stopped Pharaoh punishing the midwives, and in fact led him to try to kill babies in a different way).

But what if we choose to believe the testimony of the midwives, as they are the only expert witnesses to state exactly what is going on with Hebrew births at this time and place? If we do, then this story suddenly becomes far more interesting. Before we examine this in more depth, we would do well to note that this reply of the midwives is set poetically as the most important section of this entire story; therefore their bold response should be viewed in that same high regard:

A1. Pharaoh's plan: The midwives are told, "Kill the baby boys" (v15-16)
-B1. The midwives: They fear God; They let baby boys "Live" (v17)
--C1. The king: He summons the midwives; Why do the boys "Live"? (v18)
---D1. The midwives: They provide testimony about "Lively" Israelite women (v19)
--C2. God: He is good to the midwives; The people continue having babies (v20)
-B2. The midwives: They feared God; They are rewarded with families (v21)
A2. Pharaoh's plan: The Egyptians are told, "Kill the baby boys" (v22)

So why is this response of the midwives poetically set as the most important section of this entire story? Because the midwives' speech to Pharaoh foreshadows Moses' speeches to Pharaoh. Here the midwives witness to Pharaoh that there is a difference between Egyptian women and Israelite women. Likewise Moses will declare that it is God who differentiates between the Israelites and the Egyptians (e.g. see Ex 8:22-23, 9:4, 10:22-23).

In response to the question, why have you let the boys "live" (Heb. "Chayah"), the midwives state that it is the mothers who are "lively" (Heb. "Chayeh"); variously translated as "lively", "vigorous", or "healthy", the word indicates that Israelite women are full of "life" when giving birth (Note the use of a similar word "Chavvah", which is translated as the name "Eve" in Gen 3:20, and can be translated as "life-giver"; Likewise the Israelites women are described/named as "Chayeh" by the midwives).

The Egyptian women appear to suffer the long labour pains associated with the curse of Gen 3:16, but the midwives testify that the Israelite women are not suffering to the same degree, but have "life" within them. This confrontation between the midwives and Pharaoh, and their bold testimony, demonstrates that God is blessing the Israelites with life which is beyond that which the Egyptians have, as further evidenced by the growing birth rate of Israelites.

The midwives do not explicitly mention God, but these God-fearing women state that they are powerless to stop what is occurring in the camp of the Israelites (it is ultimately impossible to fight against God's plans to bless His people, e.g. cf. Num 23:7-12); they set the scene for Moses who will make it explicitly clear that the difference between the two nations is based on the difference between the powerless gods of Egypt (who the Egyptians rely on for life according to their fertility religion) and the Almighty Lord God of Israel (who is the true life-giver). It is God, not Pharaoh, who is in charge of life and death; Pharaoh may want to bring death to the Israelites so that the nation of Egypt can survive and continue to live (see v10), but ultimately it will be God who brings death to Egypt while the Israelites live (e.g. see Ex 11:4-7).

Accepting the midwives testimony as true opens up the reader to the idea that God is already working miraculously among his people, and He is already differentiating between Egypt and Israel before the birth of Moses; themes that will be expanded upon when Moses speaks to the subsequent Pharaoh.]

1v20-A. God is good to the midwives;
1v20-B. The Israelites continue to multiply (Heb. "Rabah" = "Increase" in number)
... and they grow very mighty (Heb. "Atsam" = become powerful or numerous)

[This verse is set in contrast with v18. Where the king was upset by the midwives' actions, summoning them before his throne to give an account of themselves, by contrast the testimony of the midwives is evidently pleasing to God as His immediate response is to demonstrate His goodness to the midwives. Part of this goodness is shown by the fact that they are not punished for their disobedience to Pharaoh, who obviously cannot find an argument against their testimony and has to declare them innocent and set them free. But God also blesses the work of their hands; the baby boys continue to live, and the Israelites continue to multiply and grow "very" mighty.]

1v21. As a result of fearing God, the midwives are given families of their own

[This verse is set as a complement to v17 where the midwives feared God (instead of Pharaoh) and they let the baby boys live. So in v21 God specifically rewards them for their attitude shown towards him. As noted above, the midwives have seen God blessing the Israelites with babies that "live"; they have testified to Pharaoh of their personal witness that the Israelite women are blessed with "life"; now at last they experience the blessing of God personally for themselves as they receive the life of God and are blessed to become mothers themselves]

1v22. The king commands the Egyptians to throw all Israelite baby boys into the Nile to be drowned, while letting the girls live.

[This verse is set as a complement to v16 where the king commanded the midwives to kill all the baby boys, but to let the girls live. Pharaoh clearly is still only concerned with the potential military threat from the men and does not believe that the women are a threat to him; he is focussed purely on the physical threat from the Israelites and remains oblivious to the looming spiritual battle that his actions will provoke. Having failed to get the midwives to do his bidding, he now instructs all the Egyptians to follow his orders to kill the baby boys. As noted, the Egyptians have already become scared of the Israelites (v12) due to Pharaoh's fear-mongering (v10). Their fear of the Israelites has made them cruel. They are also more afraid of Pharaoh than they are afraid of the God of Israel. Therefore all the Egyptians become complicit in killing the baby boys of the Israelites in order to appease Pharaoh. This nationwide complicity in killing the sons of Israel will have its consequences, and God will eventually judge that the Egyptians should lose their own firstborn sons during the final plague of the passover, Ex 12:29-30.]

Moses is introduced

2:1-10 

• A baby is hidden in a basket in the Nile; he is found by PharaohC’s daughter & named Moses

2v1

A1. Father: He takes a daughter of Levi (to become his wife) (v1)
-B1. Mother: She cares for her baby (v2)
--C1. Mother: She gives up her baby to the waters (v3)
---D1. Sister: She looks to see what will happen to the baby (v4)
----E1. Pharaoh's daughter: She draws the baby out of the waters (v5-6)
---D2. Sister: She takes action to reunite the baby with his mother (v7-8)
--C2. Mother: She receives her baby back with the promise of wages (v9a)
-B2. Mother: She cares for her baby (v9b)
A2. Pharaoh's daughter: takes the child to become her son (v10a)
----E2. Pharaoh's daughter: She names him "Moses" because he was "drawn" from waters (v10b)

2:11-15 

• As an adult, Moses secretly kills an Egyptian bully; it becomes known, so he flees to Midian

2:16-22 

• In Midian: Moses rescues some women from bullies, marries one of the women & has a son

God hears the prayers of the Israelites and speaks to Moses

2:23-25 

• PharaohC dies

• The Israelites suffer & cry out; God remembers His covenant [cf. Gen 15:13-14]

3:1-15 

• God speaks to Moses (from a burning bush) & promises to rescue the Israelites;

• Moses asks, ‘What is Your name?’ God says, ‘I-AM!’ [from which the name Yahweh is derived]

[The Name 'Yahweh' has, historically, been deliberately mistranslated as 'LORD'. The Jews did not wish to utter the Name of God becaue it was the most holy Name, and they did not wish to accidentally blaspheme by taking His Name in vain. When reading the bible, instead of saying 'Yahweh' they would substitute it with words such as Adonai (LORD) or Hashem (The Name). Many modern bibles continue this tradition, but the word 'Yahweh' itself does not translate as 'LORD']

3:16-22 

• God says,

  • ‘Gather the Israelite elders,

  • 'then ask PharaohD for liberty to leave Egypt & to serve God;

  • 'PharaohD will refuse so I will punish Egypt! 

  • 'Ask for silver & gold when you leave!’

4:1-9 

• If Moses is not believed, he can turn his staff to a snake, his hand leprous & water to blood

4:10-17 

• Moses says, ‘I have trouble speaking!’ God says, ‘I will teach you, and Aaron can help you’

4:18-23 

• Moses goes to Egypt with God’s message: ‘Let My son go to serve Me, or your son will die!’

4:24-26 

• God almost kills Moses, but relents when Moses’ [second?] son is circumcised

[Moses had been sent to Egypt with a specific message: Set God's people free to worship God, or face the deadly consequences (see 4:22-23). On the way to deliver this message, Moses personally experienced what this message meant in concrete terms. Moses had been standing in the way of allowing his own son to be circumcised, therefore Moses was keeping His son from being part of God's covenant and was, in effect, sealing his son's fate (see Gen 17:14); God held Moses responsible for this and Moses had to understand that there were deadly consequences for anyone who stood in the way of God's plans for His people]

4:27-31 

• God tells Aaron, ‘Visit Moses’ 

• The Israelite elders are told about God’s concern for them

PharaohD increases the persecution

5:1-18 

• PharaohD will not let the Israelites go; he orders them to make bricks but withholds the straw

5:19 – 6:8 

• The Israelite officers complain to Moses; Moses prays; God reaffirms His covenant (cf. 2:24)

6:9-13 

• The Israelites don’t listen to Moses [cf. Eze 20:5-9]

• Moses must speak to PharaohD (cf. 6:28-30)

6:14-27 Interlude:

• The genealogy of Moses & Aaron (from the tribe of Levi)

6:28 – 7:7 

• Moses asks, ‘Why will PharaohD listen to me?’

• God says, ‘He won’t! Judgement is coming!’

Signs and plagues are shown to PharaohD

7:8-13 

• Aaron’s staff turns into a snake;

  • PharaohD’s magicians imitate the miracle

7:14-24 

• Plague #1: Water into blood.

  • Affects the river Nile & all water in Egypt; all the fish die

  • PharaohD’s magicians imitate the miracle 

7:25 – 8:15

• Plague #2: Frogs. 

  • PharaohD’s magicians imitate the miracle

  • This plague stops when Moses prays; all the frogs die

8:16-19 

• Plague #3: Gnats [or lice]. 

  • PharaohD’s magicians say, ‘God did this!’ but he ignores them

8:20-32 

• Plague #4: Flies [or insects]. 

  • This plague does not affect the Israelites

  • This plague stops when Moses prays 

9:1-7 

• Plague #5: Death of livestock that are left out in the fields; they all die on the same day

  • This plague does not affect the Israelites

9:8-12 

• Plague #6: Boils appear on the skin of both people & animals

9:13-35 

• Plague #7: A hail storm kills people & animals left out in the fields; destroys flax & barley

  • This plague does not affect the Israelites 

  • This plague stops when Moses prays

10:1-20 

• Plague #8: Locusts destroy all plants & trees that were not destroyed by the hail

  • This plague stops when Moses prays 

10:21 – 11:10 

• Plague #9: Darkness covers Egypt for 3 days

  • This plague does not affect the Israelites

  • PharaohD refuses to let Israelites go & tells Moses, ‘Never appear before me again’

  • God tells Moses of the final plague [presumably either just before this meeting with PharaohD or maybe even during it, as Moses would not be welcome back to deliver any more messages]

and God said Israelites must now ask for gold (cf. 3:21-22)

• • Moses angrily warns of the final plague, then leaves PharaohD 

The new calendar, the Passover and the tenth plague

12:1-2 

• God says, ‘This month [or this New Moon] will be Month 1’ [Year 1 of Hebrew religious calendar]

12:3-28 

• God says, ‘On Day 10, choose spotless lambs; 

  • on Day 14, kill & eat the lambs [Passover meal] & put blood on each door-frame;

  • I will see the blood & pass-over each house to spare it!’

• Law: Celebrate this [Passover] annually, adding a 7-day-long Feast-of-Unleavened-Bread

12:29-30 

• Plague #10: Death of first-born [sons], affecting people & livestock, at midnight [on Passover]

  • This plague does not affect the Israelites 

Gen / EX / Lev / Num / Deut