Exodus 1:1
Every man of his household — That is, children and grand — children.... [ Continue Reading ]
Every man of his household — That is, children and grand — children.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Benjamin — Who tho' youngest of all is placed before Dan, Naphtali, &c. because they were the children of the hand — maidens.... [ Continue Reading ]
Seventy souls — According to the computation we had, Genesis 46:27, including Joseph and his two sons. This was just the number of the nations by which the earth was peopled, Genesis 10:1, for when God separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the childre... [ Continue Reading ]
All that generation by degrees wore off: perhaps all Jacob's sons died much about the same time, for there was not past seven years difference in age between the eldest and the youngest of them, except Benjamin.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly — Like fishes or insects, so that they multiplied; and being generally healthful and strong, they waxed exceeding mighty, so that the land was filled with them, at least Goshen, their own allotment. This wonderful increase was the pr... [ Continue Reading ]
There arose a new king (after several successions in Joseph's time) which knew not Joseph — All that knew him loved him, and were kind to his relations for his sake; but when he was dead he was soon forgotten, and the remembrance of the good offices he had done was either not retained or not regarde... [ Continue Reading ]
Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply — When men deal wickedly it is common for them to imagine that they deal wisely, but the folly of sin will at last be manifested before all men.... [ Continue Reading ]
They set over them task — masters, to afflict them — With this very design. They not only made them serve, which was sufficient for Pharaoh's profit, but they made them serve with rigour, so that their lives became bitter to them; intending hereby to break their spirits, and to rob them of every thi... [ Continue Reading ]
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied — To the grief and vexation of the Egyptians. Times of affliction, have oft been the church's growing times: Christianity spread most when it was persecuted.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king spake to the Hebrew midwives — The two chief of them. They are called Hebrew midwives, probably not because they were themselves Hebrews; for sure Pharaoh could never expect they should be so barbarous to those of their own nation, but because they were generally made use of by the Hebr... [ Continue Reading ]
The stools — Seats used on that occasion.... [ Continue Reading ]
But the midwives feared God — Dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh's, and therefore saved the men — children alive.... [ Continue Reading ]
I see no reason we have to doubt the truth of this; it is plain they were now under an extraordinary blessing of increase, which may well be supposed to have this effect, that the women had quick and easy labour, and the mothers and children being both lively, they seldon needed the help of midwives... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore God dealt well with them — That is, built them up in families, and blessed their children.... [ Continue Reading ]