Bibelkommentare

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

Now these are. — Heb., And these are, … For this book is a continuation of the former history, and this verse a repetition of what was before recorded in Genesis 46:8 , The whole law, say the Schoolmen, is but one copulative. The whole Scripture but Cor et anima Dei, saith a father, Illyric. Clavit. the heart and soul of God, uttered "by the mouth of the holy prophets, which have been since the world began." Luke 1:70

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And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt [already].

And all the souls. — That is, persons; for souls are not begotten, but infused, being divinae particulae aurae. Ecclesiastes 12:7 Aristotle himself saw and acknowledged as much. λειπεται, τον νουν μονον θυραθεν επειστεναι και θειον ειναι . - De Gene. Ar., lib. ii. cap. 9.

Were seventy souls. — More worth than the seventy nations of the whole world, say the Jews: God reckons of men by their righteousness.

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And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

And all that generation, — Ea enim lege nati sumus ut moriamur: God also maketh haste to have the number of his elect fulfilled; and, therefore, despatcheth away the generations.

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And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

Increased abundantly. — Heb., Spawned, and bred swiftly, as fishes. Trogus author a firmat in Aegypto septenos uno utero simul gigni. Egypt is a fruitful country: it is ordinary there, saith Trogus, to have seven children at a birth. Solinus gives the reason, quod faetifero potu Nilus, non tantum terrarum, sed etiam hominum faecundat arva; - the river Nile, whereof they drink, makes men as well as fields fruitful. But this increase of the Israelites was also by the extraordinary blessing of God, that they might "become a mighty and populous nation." Deuteronomy 26:5

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Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

A new king. — Called Busiris, a most savage tyrant, as heathen histories report him.

Who knew not. — Nothing sooner perisheth than the remembrance of a good turn. The Egyptians are renowned in histories for a thankful people; but it ill appeared in their dealing here with Joseph; who, had he now been alive, might well have said to them, as Themistocles once did to his Athenians, Are ye weary of receiving so many benefits by one man? Diod. Sicul., lib. ii. But herein was fulfilled that of the wise man, Ecclesiastes 9:15 .

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And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel [are] more and mightier than we:

More and mightier. — He speaks as if he had looked through a multiplying glass. See Trapp on " Genesis 31:1 "

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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.

Come on, let us deal wisely. — So as the world’s wizards use to do: but God taketh - δρασσομενος - these foxes in their own craft. 1 Corinthians 3:19 Your labouring men have the most and lustiest children. Every "oppressor" is a fool. Proverbs 28:16

Lest, when there falleth out any war. — It may seem - by 1 Chronicles 7:21-22 , compared with Psalms 77:9 - that the Ephraimites, weary of the Egyptian bondage, and too hasty to enjoy the Promised Land, invaded the Philistines and plundered them; but were pursued and slain by the men of Gath, to the great grief of their father Ephraim, and to the further exasperating of the Egyptians against all the children of Israel; which might occasion also this cruel edict and proceeding against them. It is a singular skill to bear bondage or any other burden wisely and moderately. They that break prison before God’s time, get nothing but more irons laid upon them.

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Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

To afflict them. — Because they would not "serve God with gladness of heart." Deuteronomy 28:47-48 For now they began to go awhoring after the idols of Egypt. Ezekiel 23:8 ; Ezekiel 20:5 ; Ezekiel 20:7-8

And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities. — They built also those famous pyramids, as some think, Bucholcer. of which it is reported, that for the great height of them, a man cannot shoot an arrow so high as the midst of the lower tower, whereon the spire stands. Turk. Hist., fol. 544.

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