1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who 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 All the souls who came out of Jacob's body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn't know Joseph. 9 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 happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and escape out of the land." 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve, 14 and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve. 15 The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah, 16 and he said, "When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool; 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 didn't do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive. 18 The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and have saved the boys alive?" 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women aren't like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous, and give birth before the midwife comes to them." 20 God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. 21 It happened, because the midwives feared God, that he gave them families. 22 Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive."
The names and number of the children of Israel that went down into Egypt, Exodus 1:1-5. Joseph and all his brethren of that generation die, Exodus 1:6. The great increase of their posterity, Exodus 1:7. The cruel policy of the king of Egypt to destroy them, Exodus 1:8-11. They increase greatly, notwithstanding their affliction, Exodus 1:12. Account of their hard bondage, Exodus 1:13, Exodus 1:14. Pharaoh's command to the Hebrew midwives to kill all the male children, Exodus 1:15, Exodus 1:16. The midwives disobey the king's command, and, on being questioned, vindicate themselves, Exodus 1:17-19. God is pleased with their conduct, blesses them, and increases the people, Exodus 1:20, Exodus 1:21. Pharaoh gives a general command to the Egyptians to drown all the male children of the Hebrews, Exodus 1:22.
This chapter begins with an account of the names and number of the children of Israel that came into Egypt with Jacob, Exodus 1:1 and relates that increase of them after the death of Joseph, and the generation that went down to Egypt, Exodus 1:6 and what methods the Egyptians took to diminish them, but to no purpose, as by obliging to cruel bondage and hard service; and yet the more they were afflicted, the more they increased, Exodus 1:9 by ordering the midwives of the Hebrew women to slay every son they laid them of; but they fearing God, did not obey the order of the king of Egypt, which when he expostulated with them about, they excused, and so the people multiplied, Exodus 1:15 and lastly, by ordering every male child to be cast into the river, Exodus 1:22 and which is the leading step to the account of the birth of Moses, which follows in the next chapter.
(Exodus 1:1-7) The children of Israel increase in Egypt after the death of Joseph.
(Exodus 1:8-14) They are oppressed, but multiply exceedingly.
(Exodus 1:15-22) The men-children destroyed.
Increase in the Number of the IsraelitesTheir Bondage in Egypt - Exodus 1
The promise which God gave to Jacob in his departure from Canaan (Genesis 46:3) was perfectly fulfilled. The children of Israel settled down in the most fruitful province of the fertile land of Egypt, and grew there into a great nation (Exodus 1:1-7). But the words which the Lord had spoken to Abram (Genesis 15:13) were also fulfilled in relation to his seed in Egypt. The children of Israel were oppressed in a strange land, were compelled to serve the Egyptians (Exodus 1:8-14), and were in great danger of being entirely crushed by them (Exodus 1:15-22).
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.