“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” 2 Peter 1:20 – 2:1
Verses 1-5 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
Establishes that historically the book will deal with the 12 sons of Jacob and their descendants. Originally only 70 people relocated to Egypt. Joseph and his family were already there.
Verses 6-7 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
Records that Joseph and all his generation died but that over time, the numbers of descendants became so great that the land was filled with them. At this time the Egyptians and the Hebrews were dwelling together in harmony. God was blessing Abraham’s descendants as He had promised.
Verse 8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
A new king begins to rule Egypt, and he sees the Hebrews as a threat to his kingdom. He did not personally know Joseph, the Hebrew that saved the entire nation from starvation and death. Although there was bound to be records relating to this time in Egyptian history, he either didn’t know or did not want to know about Joseph.
Verse 9–10 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
The Hebrews are too many and perceived to be mightier than the Egyptians. So the king wants to destroy them. Nowhere is it recorded that the Hebrew people have an army or any trained soldiers. It is understood that they were shepherds when they came into Egypt and that they remained shepherds. Since they did not leave Egypt and return to the land they left, they apparently were content with their life. So the king starts a propaganda program by making his people afraid of the Hebrews. He wants the people to believe that the Hebrews could align with an enemy and become enemies of the Egyptians.
Application: The church of Jesus Christ historically has grown in different countries, doing good works and assimilating into the culture and living at peace with their neighbors. But when government or business entities decide that the disciples of Jesus are a threat to their programs or their sinful ideas, they plot to destroy them. They get the people to side with them by using lying propaganda so that when they begin persecuting the Church, they can do it without anyone objecting.
Verse 11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens, and they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
The king hoped to get rid of the Hebrews by putting them into forced labor. These shepherds became brick builders and construction workers. Many would die on the job as they labored under harsh conditions and harsh taskmasters. This was fine with the power brokers as they could have their building programs progress and, at the same time, work towards genocide of the Hebrews. They were slaves, people that could not keep the fruits of their labors. They worked for the state or the government. They were not people anymore, but mere assets who’s value was tied to their productivity.
Verse 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
The more the Hebrews were afflicted, the more they grew. God was helping them. Pharaoh’s plan wasn’t working and the Egyptians were grieved.
Application: The Church is the same today. It gets stronger with persecution and afflictions. The world gets grieved with the church.
Verses 13-14 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
When the labor camps were not working according to Pharoah’s plan, the solution was to make the work harder and more difficult. But God honors His people both then and now. He gave them the strength to persevere and to continue to increase in number.
Application: The Church never has a life of ease. The same powers of darkness that were in the Egyptian king and his people are working in leaders and people today. As disciples labor in God’s spiritual kingdom, these adversaries make the work harder and more difficult. But God makes a way and gives strength to His people so that they can continue the work and not buckle under the taskmasters (the flesh, the devil and the world) facing them today.
Verses 15-16 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
The Hebrews were in forced labor building cities for Egypt, but the goal of removing their numbers was not being met. So the king decided to attack the other end of the spectrum by killing the children. Children will grow up into adult Hebrews. It is easy to destroy babies and thereby reduce the population. So the king orders the midwives to do the killing. It is not possible for us to imagine the pressure these two women were under. The threat of the full weight of the Egyptian government was on their heads. If they complied, they would be contributing to the genocide of their people. If they disobeyed, they would be opening themselves and their families up to government persecution and even death.
Application: Consider what you would do if you were in the same situation as these midwives. Do you love Jesus enough to stand up for righteousness, for that which is right regardless of the situation or the potential negative consequences? Do you trust Jesus enough to believe He can and will protect you in difficult situations?
Verses 17-19 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
The midwives were more afraid of God than the Egyptian king. Like them, we are not to fear those who can kill the body, but God who can send us to Hell for eternity. Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Verses 20-22 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
The midwives were in God’s will and obeyed His 6th commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” (Exodus 20:13) even though Moses had not been born yet and the ten commandments has not been given or written down. As a result, the Hebrew people grew in number and became a bigger threat to the Egyptian government. Also as a result of their obedience, the Lord made the midwives families of their own. Houses in the above verse refers to descendants and not physical buildings. Since Pharaoh’s first plan wasn’t working, he went to another plan in which he ordered the Egyptians to be spies and executioners of the Hebrew children that were born.
Application: God has built into every person a conscience that knows right from wrong. Even without a written law, the Hebrew midwives knew it was wrong to kill babies. They had a choice to either obey the government or the God that created life and they chose to obey the Lord. By doing so, they put themselves in danger of punishment and even death at the hands of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Believers today must know both the Lord and His word well enough to determine if man made laws are in violation of God’s, and then they must choose, like the midwives, who they will obey.