Geneva Study Bible

1:1 Now {a}these [are] the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

(a) Moses describes the wonderful order that God observes in performing his promise to Abraham; Genesis 15:14.

1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the {b} land was filled with them.

(b) He means the country of Goshen.

1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which {c} knew not Joseph.

(c) He did not consider how God had preserved Egypt for the sake of Joseph.

1:10 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] {d} get them up out of the land.

(d) Into Canaan, and so we shall lose our conveniences.

1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And {e} they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

(e) The more God blesses his own, the more the wicked envy them.

1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one [was] {f} Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

(f) These seem to have been the main of the rest.

1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew {g} women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.

(g) Their disobedience in this was lawful, but their deception is evil.

1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he {h} made them houses.

(h) That is, God increased the families of the Israelites by their means.

1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall {i} cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

(i) When tyrants cannot prevail by deceit, they burst into open rage.