A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Exodus · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
NOw theſe are the names of the children of Iſrael, &c.]
When the Iſraelites went out of Egypt (which was but two hundred and fifteen years after Jacob went thither with his family) there were of them, Numb. 1. 46. ſix hundred thouſand, three thouſand five hundred and fifty, fit for warre, beſides the Levites, old men, women, and all under the age of twenty years, which might well be three times ſo many. Here therefore in the beginning of this ſtory the names of thoſe that went down into Egypt are thus particularly ſet down, that by conſidering how few there went down thither, we might the more plainly in the multitude that went out from thence ſee the accompliſhment of thoſe promiſes made to Abraham, concerning the wonderfull multiplying of his ſeed.
Verſ. 5. And all the ſouls that came out of the loyns of Jacob were ſeventy ſouls.]
Reckoning with the reſt Jacob, Joſeph, and his two ſonnes. See the note on Gen. 46. 27.
Verſ. 7. And the children of Iſrael were fruitfull, &c.]
Moſes expreſſeth their multiplying with many ſeverall words, to ſhew, that it was indeed a moſt incredible and miraculous increaſe.
Verſ. 8. Now there aroſe up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joſeph.]
That is, there aroſe up another king (for ſo Stephen expreſſeth it, Act. 7. 18.) who becauſe he knew not the perſon of Joſeph, nor lived in his dayes to ſee the good that he did for the kingdome of Egypt, never minded the good ſervice that he had formerly done for his predeceſſour, nor in the leaſt manner regarded either his poſterity, or fathers family for his …ake. And ſo indeed it is uſually with many men, they onelyonly mind preſent things, and are onelyonly affected with ſuch things as happen in their own dayes, the memory of that good which hath been done for their anceſtours, they never regard. Some indeed hold, that this king that dealt thus hardly with the Iſraelites was not of the poſterity of that Pharaoh that exalted Joſeph, but was choſen of another ſtock to rule over Egypt; and that therefore it is ſaid, There aroſe up a new king over Egypt. But this cannot be grounded on thoſe words: for the ſonne that ſucceeds his father in the throne is uſually called a new king; and Solomon ſaith concerning his ſucceeding of his father in the kingdome of Iſrael, 1. King. 8. 20, I am riſen up in the room of David my father. However it ſeems that Joſeph ſought not to advance his children in Egypt, but was content they ſhould live in a mean condition amongſt his brethren, waiting in hope for the promiſed inheritance; by reaſon whereof the memory of Joſeph was the more likely not to be continued amongſt the Egyptians.
Verſ. 9. Behold the children of Iſrael are more and mightier then we.]
It cannot be queſtioned but that the Egyptians were more in number, and of greater riches and ſtrength then the Iſraelites were: either therefore this muſt be underſtood by way of proportion, to wit, that thoſe parts of the land that were inhabited by the Iſraelites were farre more populous then other parts of the land, the Iſraelites multiplying farre more then the Egyptians did, and that they flouriſhed more in wealth and plenty of all things (the might, here chiefly intended) which indeed is no wonder, conſidering that beſides their induſtry, and the fertilitie of the land of Goſhen wherein they were placed, an extraordinary bleſſing from God was upon them in all their endeavours; or elſe it was ſpoken by Pharaoh, onelyonly to incenſe his Lords and Counſellours of State to whom he propounds this motion, and ſo he laſh…th out, as men that ſpeak out of envy and diſdain are wont to do, beyond meaſure, and intimates withall that this it would come to, if it were not prevented.
Verſ. 11. Therefore they did ſet over them taskmasters, &c.]
To wit, that they might hereby both impoveriſh them, and waſte their eſtates, and withall keep them from multiplying ſo exceedingly, as they had formerly done: for whileſt they took them off from their own imployments, and as bondſlaves, forced them to work in the Kings ſervice, without allowing them any equall recompence for their labours, this muſt needs ſoon bring them very low in their eſtates; and then withall by overburdening them with extreme labour, toyl, and drudgery, they hoped to waſte their ſtrength, and to conſume them by degrees through weakneſſe and ſickneſſe, and ſo much to abate their number, and to prevent their encreaſe. All which miſery the Lord ſuffered the Egyptians to bring upon this his peculiar people, 1. Becauſe in this time of their …ojourning in Egypt, the Iſraelites began many of them to be corrupt in their religion, and to commit whoredome with the Idoles of Egypt, and ſo the Lord caſt them into this fiery furnace of the Egyptian bondage, that he might purge them from theſe pollutions: hence is that of Joſhua to the Iſraelites, Joſh. 24. 14. Put away the Gods which your fathers ſerved in Egypt, and that complaint of the Lord concerning his people, Ezek. 23. 3. That they committed whoredomes in their youth in Egypt, and chap. 20. 7, 8, 9. that when they rebelled againſt him, and did not every man caſt away the abominations of their eyes, nor did forſake the Idoles of Egypt, yet he wrought for his names ſake in bringing them forth of the land of Egypt▪ 2. Becauſe hereby the Lord intended to keep them from ſetting their hearts upon Egypt, and to make them long after Canaan the promiſed land, to cauſe them to leave Egypt willingly, to remove to Canaan when God ſhould call them thither, and that they might have no deſire to return thither again when they were once gone: which if they did when Egypt had been to them a land of bondage, and of ſuch bitter ſervice, Num. 11. 5. and 14. 4. And they ſaid one unto another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt, what would they have done if they had lived in eaſe and plenty there? and 3. Becauſe the Lord would have the juſter occaſion given for the Iſraelites caſting off the yoke of Egypt, and for his puniſhing that tyrant Pharaoh and his bloody people with ſo many great and wonderfull plagues for the better manifeſtation of his juſtice and almightie power, y…a his faithfulneſſe alſo and tender compaſſion towards his people.
Verſ. 14. And in all manner of ſervice in the field.]
That is, in the moſt ſordid and toylſome labours of their countrey-imployments, as digging and cleanſing of their ditches, carrying out their dung, plowing and tilling their grounds, &c.
Verſ. 15. And the king of Egypt ſpake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of one was Ship…rah, &c.]
Pharaoh perceiving himſelf croſſed in his firſt device, and that becauſe the more they afflicted the Iſraelites the more they multiplied and grew, he now ſeeks to bring his purpoſe to paſſe another way, andthat is by perſwading the Hebrew midwives to ſmother or ſtrangle all their male-children, a ſure way to prevent their multiplying, even in the very birth, that ſo there might be no ſuſpicion that it was purpoſely done, but that it might be aſcribed to chance, or to the womans hard labour, and difficultie of birth. Indeed ſo ſtrange it is that he ſhould hope to perſwade the midwives, if they were Iſraelites, to lend thus a helping hand to the utter deſtruction of their own people, that thereupon ſome Writers have concluded, that queſtionleſſe the midwives were Egyptians, and the Hebrew women were forced to make uſe of them. But methinks it is farre more unlike that the Hebrew women ſhould ever admit to imploy Egyptian midwives in that ſervice, then that Pharaoh ſhould hope partly by great promiſes, and partly by ſevere threatnings to winne the Hebrew midwives to do this that he enjoyned them. And beſides it would have been in vain for the king to hope to have the buſineſſe carried ſo ſecretly, and that the people ſhould think that their male-children dyed in the birth, and were not at his command made away, if he had violently impoſed on them Egyptian midwives, who upon ſuch an occaſion muſt needs be preſently ſuſpected. And to this we may adde alſo, that the commendation that is here given the midwives, that they feared God, doth alwayes in the Scripture ſignifie the fear of the true God, and a higher degree of true pieti… then could be in the Egyptians by the mere light of nature. And therefore I conceive that the midwives were not Egyptians but Iſraelites; to which our Tran…latours ſeem to en…line in tranſlating the Hebrew word here uſed not the midwives of the Hebrews, but the Hebrew midwives. As for theſe two that are here named, we muſt not thence conclude that there were no more (for it is not poſſible that two midwives ſhould be ſufficient for this imployment amongſt ſo many thouſand women of the Iſraelites) but theſe two are onelyonly named, becauſe they were the chief, and perhaps the reſt were under their direction and command; or rather, becauſe he called theſe firſt, and having made tryall of them, meant afterwards to give the ſame command to the reſt, till finding that theſe h…d deceived him, he gave over this courſe, and then his rage brake openly forth, and he enjoyned by publick command that all their male-children ſhould be drowned.
Verſ. 21. And it came to paſſe becauſe the midwives feared God, that …e made them houſes.]
Though the midwives …inned in lying to Pharaoh, yet the Lord according to his wonted goodneſſe paſſed by this infir…itie of his poore ſervants, and rewarded their pi…ti… and …ear of him, in ſaving their men-children alive, and made them houſes, that is, did greatly increaſe their poſteritie (for ſo the like phraſe is uſed Ruth. 4. 11. The Lord make the woman that is to come into thine houſe like Rachel, and like Leah, which two did build the houſe of Iſrael, and withall did proſper them exceedingly in their outward eſtate, according to that of the Pſalmiſt, Except the Lord build the houſe, they labour in vain that build it, Pſal. 127. 1.
Verſ. 22. And Pharaoh charged all his people, ſaying, &c.]
Failing of bringing about his purpoſe ſecretly by the help of the midwives, he now openly at laſt diſcoverd his rage, and by publick procla…ation e njoyns the Egyptians to take the Iſraelites male-children ſo ſoon as they were born by force from them, and to drown them in the river: That the Egyptians did accordingly with much ſtrictneſſe put in execution this bloudy command of their King, is evident, becauſe Moſes parents could not long hide him from thoſe that were imployed in ſearching after them; but yet, that by degrees they gave over the proſecuting of this crueltie, and that it continued not all the time of the Iſraelites bondage in Egypt, is alſo clear, becauſe there were ſo many under twenty years old when they went out of Egypt. Perhaps this Pharaoh within a few years died, and then this cruell decree, which the very light of nature muſt needs abhorre, was not, at leaſt ſo violently, purſued as it was at firſt.