Comentario del capítulo
Exodus Capítulo 1
서론
Sin título
简体中文
Original en inglés
We have here, I. God's kindness to Israel, in multiplying them exceedingly, (Ex 1:1-7). II. The Egyptians' wickedness to them, 1. Oppressing and enslaving them, (Ex 1:8-14). 2. Murdering their children, (Ex 1:15-22). Thus whom the court of heaven blessed the country of Egypt cursed, and for that reason.
1-22
The Israelites Oppressed in Egypt (1588 BC)
简体中文
以色列人在埃及受欺压（公元前 1588 年）
¹ 以色列的众子，各带家眷，和雅各一同来到埃及。他们的名字记在下面： ² 有流便、西缅、利未、犹大、 ³ 以萨迦、西布伦、便雅悯、 ⁴ 但、拿弗他利、迦得、亚设。 ⁵ 凡从雅各而生的，共有七十人。约瑟已经在埃及。 ⁶ 约瑟和他的弟兄，并那一代的人，都死了。 ⁷ 以色列人生养众多，并且繁茂，极其强盛，满了那地。
在这些经文中，我们看到：1. 列出了十二位先祖的名字，他们正如徒 7:8 所称的「先祖」。他们的名字在圣经中屡屡重复，使我们对这些名字不致像其他生僻名字那样感到陌生；正因其频繁出现，便成为我们所熟悉的；这也表明属灵的以色列人在神眼中何等宝贵，他何等喜悦他们。2. 雅各家下埃及时所保留的家眷数目的记录；他们合计共七十人（出 1:5），与创 46:27 的计算相符。这数目恰与创 10:1-32 所记遍满地上的列国数目相同；正如摩西在申 32:8 所观察的：「至高者将地业赐给列邦，将世人分开，就照以色列人的数目，立定万民的疆界。」此处特加记念，为要叫他们在埃及的繁衍更显奇妙。注意，对于那些后日大大增多的，常常回想当初起头何等微小，是大有益处的（伯 8:7）。3. 约瑟之死（出 1:6）。那一代的人渐渐都过去了。也许雅各众子去世的时日相去不远；因为除便雅悯以外，长子与幼子的年纪相差不过七岁；而当死亡一旦进入一家，有时在短短时间内便将全家尽都收取。当约瑟——这一家的倚靠——去世之后，其余的人也相继速速离世。注意，我们当看自己、看弟兄，并一切与我们交往的人，都是垂死之人，正速速离开世界。这一代人过去了，正如前一代人过去一样。4. 以色列人在埃及奇妙的繁衍（出 1:7）。这里用了四个词来表述：他们「生养众多」，「繁茂」，如鱼或昆虫一般，以致*「增多」；他们大体康健强壮，就「极其强盛」，几乎开始比本地人还要多，因为那地各处都满了他们，至少他们所得为业的歌珊地是如此。请注意，（1）虽然他们在此前无疑也有所增多，但似乎直到约瑟死后，才被注意是异常的繁衍。如此，当他们失去约瑟庇护之利时，神便以他们的数目为他们护卫，使他们比从前更能自立。若神在我们最需要时仍保留我们的亲友，而在他们可以被撇下时将他们接去，我们当承认他是智慧的，不可抱怨他待我们严苛。我们的约瑟——基督——死后，他的福音以色列才开始显著地增多：并且他的死对这事有影响；正如一粒麦子落在地里死了，就结出许多子粒来（约 12:24）。（2）这奇妙的繁衍乃是早先赐给列祖之应许的应验。自亚伯拉罕蒙召，神初次告诉他要使他成为大国之日，直到他的后裔出埃及，前后共四百三十年；其中前二百一十五年间，他们只增到七十人；但在后一半期间，那七十人却繁衍成六十万能打仗的男丁。注意，[1] 有时神的护理似乎长久与他的应许相违，好似背道而驰，为要试验他百姓的信心，并使他自己的大能更加显大。[2] 虽然神应许的成全有时迟缓，却总是确实的；「因为这默示有一定的日期，快要应验，并不虚谎。虽然迟延，还要等候」*（哈 2:3）。
⁸ 有不认识约瑟的新王起来，治理埃及。 ⁹ 对他的百姓说：看哪，这以色列民比我们还多，又比我们强盛。 ¹⁰ 来吧，我们不如用巧计待他们，恐怕他们多起来，将来若遇什么争战的事，就连合我们的仇敌攻击我们，离开这地去了。 ¹¹ 于是埃及人派督工的辖制他们，加重担苦害他们。他们为法老建造两座积货城，就是比东和兰塞。 ¹² 只是越发苦害他们，他们越发多起来，越发蔓延；埃及人就因以色列人愁烦。 ¹³ 埃及人严严地使以色列人做工， ¹⁴ 使他们因做苦工觉得命苦；无论是和泥，是做砖，是做田间各样的工，在一切的工上都严严地待他们。
埃及地在以色列人眼中终于成了为奴之家，尽管在此前它一直是他们快乐的避难所与安居之所。注意，我们得满足的地方可能很快变为我们受苦之地；那曾使我们说*「这个必安慰我们」的，也许要成为我们最大的十字架。那些父母曾是我们忠实朋友的人，可能变为我们誓不两立的仇敌；不单如此，那曾经爱我们的人也可能转而恨我们：所以当停止倚靠人，不要论及天上以外的任何地方说：「这是我永远的安息之所。」*请观察，
I. 他们因约瑟的缘故对以色列人所亏负的恩义已被遗忘：「有不认识约瑟的新王起来」（出 1:8），这是在约瑟之后经过数次更迭而起的。凡认识约瑟的都爱他，并因他的缘故善待他的亲属；但他一死，便很快被遗忘，他所行之善的纪念或是不被存留，或是不被重视，对他们的朝廷议政也毫无影响。注意，人向人所行的最好、最有用、最蒙悦纳的服事，少有人记念，以致在行者死后能在记念其人或其子孙的事上有所报答（传 9:5,15）。所以我们当竭力事奉神、讨他喜悦；无论人如何，他总不会不义，忘记我们所作的工和为他名所显的爱心（来 6:10）。我们若只为人作工，我们的工至迟必与我们同死；若为神作工，便必随着我们（启 14:13）。这埃及王不认识约瑟；在他以后又兴起一位竟敢放肆说：「我不认识耶和华」（出 5:2）。注意，那忘记其他恩人的人，恐怕也要忘记至高的恩主（约一 4:20）。
II. 他们以治国之理为虐待以色列人的借口（出 1:9,10）。1. 他们被描述为比埃及人更多、更强；这当然并非如此，但埃及王既定意要压迫他们，就愿人如此看待他们，把他们看作一股可怕的势力。2. 由此推论说，若不设法辖制他们，他们必危及国政，一旦战事临到，他们必与敌人结盟，背叛埃及的王冠。注意，逼迫者的政策历来是把神的以色列人描绘成危险之民，「对王和各省不利」，不可信任，甚至不可容忍，好为他们所设计的暴虐对待找些借口（拉 4:12；斯 3:8）。请注意，他们所惧怕的，乃是*「离开这地去了」，大概是因听见他们论到神对他们列祖所应许的，必定居迦南。注意，教会仇敌的权谋旨在破坏教会之神的应许，却终归徒然；神的筹算必立定。3. 于是有人提议设法阻止他们增多：「来吧，我们不如用巧计待他们，恐怕他们多起来。」*注意，（1）以色列的增长是埃及的忧愁，也正是地狱的一切权势与诡计所针对的目标。（2）当人行恶时，常自以为行事精明；但罪的愚妄终必显在众人面前。
III. 他们为压制他们、遏制其增长所采的手段（出 1:11,13,14）。以色列人行事极其和平、无害，以致他们找不着借口向他们挑起战端，借此削弱他们：因此，1. 他们设法使他们贫穷，向他们征收重税，有人认为这就是他们用以苦害他们的*「重担」所包含的意思。2. 借此他们便有效地使他们沦为奴仆。以色列人似乎比埃及人更为殷勤劳苦，所以法老特意为他们找活儿干，或在建筑上（他们为他建造「积货城」），或在农事上，甚至「田间各样的工」；并且这一切都以极度的严苛与残暴向他们索取。这里用了许多词语，为要叫我们体会神百姓的处境。他们被设立「督工」管辖，这些督工不仅被指示要加重他们的担子，还要尽可能「加重担苦害他们」，并想方设法使这些担子变得难堪。他们不仅使他们服事——这已足使法老获利——而且使他们「严严地」做工，使他们的性命对他们自己成为苦事，其目的是：（1）挫折他们的心志，夺去他们里面一切高尚慷慨的品格。（2）损害他们的健康，缩短他们的寿数，从而减少他们的数目。（3）使他们不敢婚娶，因为他们的孩子一出生便注定为奴。（4）迫使他们脱离希伯来人，与埃及人同化。他 thus 指望剪除以色列的名号，使它不再被记念。恐怕他们所受的压迫确有这等恶果，就是使许多人随从了埃及人拜偶像的敬拜；因为我们读到（书 24:14）他们在埃及事奉过别神；虽然这里的历史并未提及，但我们看见（结 20:8）神曾为此警告要灭绝他们，甚至当他们还在埃及地的时候：然而他们仍被保持为一个独特的群体，未与埃及人混杂，并因其他习俗与他们分别出来，这「是耶和华的作为，在我们眼中看为希奇」*。
IV. 以色列人在所受压迫之下奇妙的增多（出 1:12）：「只是越发苦害他们，他们越发多起来，越发蔓延」，大大加重了埃及人的忧愁与烦恼。注意，1. 受苦之时常是教会增长之时，*Sub pondere crescit——越受压制，越发增长。*基督教在受逼迫时扩展最广：殉道者的血是教会的种子。2. 那谋算反对耶和华和他以色列人的，不过是图谋虚妄的事（诗 2:1），反为自己增添更大的烦恼：天地都不能减少天上所要增加的人。
¹⁵ 有希伯来的两个收生婆，一名施弗拉，一名普阿； ¹⁶ 你们为希伯来妇人收生，看她们临盆的时候，若是男孩，就把他杀了；若是女孩，就可以留她存活。 ¹⁷ 但是收生婆敬畏神，不照埃及王的吩咐行，竟存留男孩的性命。 ¹⁸ 埃及王召了收生婆来，说：你们为什么做这事，存留男孩的性命呢？ ¹⁹ 收生婆对法老说：因为希伯来妇人与埃及妇人不同；希伯来妇人本是健壮的，收生婆还没有到，她们已经生产了。 ²⁰ 神厚待收生婆。百姓增多，极其强盛。 ²¹ 收生婆因为敬畏神，神便叫她们成立家室。 ²² 法老吩咐他的众民说：以色列人所生的男孩，你们都要丢在河里；一切的女孩，你们可以存留她的性命。
埃及人因以色列人的增多而发的愤恨，尽管用尽种种苦待，终竟驱使他们采取最野蛮、最不人道的方法来加以压制，即杀害他们的婴孩。奇怪的是他们竟不向成年人寻衅滋事——或者还能找到些许借口——却这样向婴孩下毒手，而婴孩是任何人都当承认无辜的，这是他们无可推诿的罪。注意，1. 人败坏的心中所存的残忍，远超人的想象（罗 3:15,16）。那在女人后裔中所存的仇恨，针对蛇的后裔，竟使人丧失人性，忘却一切怜悯。人难以想象，神的百姓的逼迫者竟能如此残暴嗜血（启 17:6）。2. 即便是公认的无辜，也不能抵挡那古老的仇恨。有什么血比新生婴孩的血更无罪呢？然而那却如水一般被肆意倾流，被人如奶如蜜般吮吸为乐。法老和希律充分证明了他们是那条*「大红龙」的差役，「站在那将要生产之妇人面前，等她生产之后，要吞吃她的孩子」*（启 12:3,4）。彼拉多在承认查不出基督有什么罪之后，仍把他交给人钉十字架。我们所幸的是，人虽能杀身体，所能做的也不过如此而已。这里签发了两道血腥的命令，为要灭尽希伯来人所生的一切男婴。
I. 吩咐收生婆去谋害他们。请观察，1. 给她们的命令（出 1:15,16）。这使所设计的屠杀更显残暴，因为*「收生婆」竟被任命为刽子手；因为这是要使她们不仅嗜血，还要背信弃义，迫使她们辜负所托，去杀害她们本来受托要救护的人。他难道以为她们的性别能容许这样的残忍，她们的职分能容许这样的卑劣背叛吗？注意，自己残暴的人，总想找着或制造别人也同样残暴。法老的计谋是要暗中指使收生婆在男婴一出生时便将其扼杀，然后推诿于生产的艰难，或那情形中常见的某种不幸（伯 3:11）。他所拉拢的两个收生婆在此被记下名字；也许在当时——即出埃及前八十多年——这两位已足以应付所有希伯来妇人，至少是住在朝廷附近的那些，因为出 2:5,6 明显可见许多希伯来人住在那里，而法老对那些人最为猜忌。她们被称为「希伯来收生婆」，可能不是因为她们本身是希伯来人（因为法老断不能指望她们对本国同胞如此残忍），而是因为她们常被希伯来人所使用；她们既是埃及人，他便指望能说服她们。2. 她们对这道不敬虔之命的敬虔违抗（出 1:17）。「收生婆敬畏神」，尊重他的律法，畏惧他的烈怒过于法老的，因此存留了男孩的性命。注意，若人的命令在任何方面违背神的命令，我们必须顺从神而不顺从人（徒 4:19，5:29）。地上没有任何权柄能保证——更不能强迫——我们去犯罪得罪我们至高的主。再者，敬畏神的心在哪里掌管人心，就必保守那心脱离那因过分惧怕人而带来的网罗。3. 她们在这违抗之事上为自己辩白，当她们因此被指控为罪时（出 1:18）。她们为此举说明理由，看来是神恩典的应许所赐给她们的——她们到得太迟，因为孩子通常在她们赶到之前已经出生了（出 1:19）。我看不出我们有何理由怀疑此事的真实性；显然希伯来人此时正处在格外蒙福的增长之中，自然可以推想有此功效，即妇人生产极快且容易，母子都活泼健壮，她们少有需要收生婆帮助的时候：这一点收生婆看在眼里，便认定这是神的指头，因此壮胆违抗王命，偏袒天上所如此眷顾的人，并以此在法老面前被查问时为自己辩护。古时有些犹太人如此解释：「收生婆未到之先，她们就向天上的父祈求，他便应允她们，她们就生产了。」注意，神是他百姓在急难时更随时的帮助，胜过任何别的帮助者，且常用他的良善之福在他们以先动工；这样的拯救使他们负有格外坚固的本分。4. 神因她们对他百姓的怜恤而赐给她们的报答：「神厚待收生婆」（出 1:20）。注意，无论何人向神的百姓行任何善事，神总不落人后，必看作是向他行的。具体而言，「神便叫她们成立家室」（出 1:21），使她们的家室得以建立，赐福她们的儿女，使他们所作的一切尽都顺利。注意，为神的以色列人所行的服事，常在同类的事上得着报答。收生婆保全了以色列人的家室，作为报答，「神便叫她们成立家室。」请注意，这报答与她们所凭的原则相关：「收生婆因为敬畏神，神便叫她们成立家室。」*注意，敬虔与信仰是外在兴盛的良友：家中敬畏神的心，有助于建立并稳固那家。赖特福特博士的看法是：因她们的虔诚，她们被嫁给以色列人，希伯来人的家室便借她们得以建立。
II. 当这计谋不奏效时，法老便向全国百姓颁布公开命令，要把希伯来人的一切男孩都淹死（出 1:22）。我们可以设想，凡有人知道以色列人中生了一个儿子而不向指定将之投入河中的人告发的，必被严惩。注意，教会的仇敌向来不息地努力要*「折磨至高者的圣民」（但 7:25）。但「那坐在天上的必发笑」*。见诗 2:4。
Original en inglés
The Israelites Oppressed in Egypt (1588 BC)
¹ 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, and 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.
⁶ 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.
In these verses we have, 1. A recital of the names of the twelve patriarchs, as they are called, Ac 7:8. Their names are often repeated in scripture, that they may not sound uncouth to us, as other hard names, but that, by their occurring so frequently, they may become familiar to us; and to show how precious God's spiritual Israel are to him, and how much he delights in them. 2. The account which was kept of the number of Jacob's family, when they went down into Egypt; they were in all seventy souls (Ex 1:5). according to the computation we had, Ge 46:27. This was just the number of the nations by which the earth was peopled, according to the account given, Ge 10:1-32 For when the Most High separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel, as Moses observes, De 32:8. Notice is here taken of this that their increase in Egypt might appear the more wonderful. Note, It is good for those whose latter end greatly increases often to remember how small their beginning was, Job 8:7. 3. The death of Joseph, Ex 1:6. All that generation by degrees wore off. Perhaps all Jacob's sons died much about the same time; for there was not more than seven years' difference in age between the eldest and the youngest of them, except Benjamin; and, when death comes into a family, sometimes it makes a full end in a little time. When Joseph, the stay of the family, died, the rest went off apace. Note, We must look upon ourselves and our brethren, and all we converse with, as dying and hastening out of the world. This generation passeth away, as that did which went before. 4. The strange increase of Israel in Egypt, Ex 1:7. Here are four words used to express it: They were fruitful, and increased abundantly, like fishes or insects, so that they multiplied; and, being generally healthful and strong, they waxed exceedingly mighty, so that they began almost to outnumber the natives, for the land was in all places filled with them, at least Goshen, their own allotment. Observe, (1.) Though, no doubt, they increased considerably before, yet, it should seem, it was not till after the death of Joseph that it began to be taken notice of as extraordinary. Thus, when they lost the benefit of his protection, God made their numbers their defence, and they became better able than they had been to shift for themselves. If God continue our friends and relations to us while we most need them, and remove them when they can be better spared, let us own that he is wise, and not complain that he is hard upon us. After the death of Christ, our Joseph, his gospel Israel began most remarkably to increase: and his death had an influence upon it; it was like the sowing of a corn of wheat, which, if it die, bringeth forth much fruit, Joh 12:24. (2.) This wonderful increase was the fulfillment of the promise long before made unto the fathers. From the call of Abraham, when God first told him he would make of him a great nation, to the deliverance of his seed out of Egypt, it was 430 years, during the first 215 of which they were increased but to seventy, but, in the latter half, those seventy multiplied to 600,000 fighting men. Note, [1.] Sometimes God's providences may seem for a great while to thwart his promises, and to go counter to them, that his people's faith may be tried, and his own power the more magnified. [2.] Though the performance of God's promises is sometimes slow, yet it is always sure; at the end it shall speak, and not lie, Hab 2:3.
⁸ Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
⁹ 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.
¹¹ Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
¹² But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
¹³ 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.
The land of Egypt here, at length, becomes to Israel a house of bondage, though hitherto it had been a happy shelter and settlement for them. Note, The place of our satisfaction may soon become the place of our affliction, and that may prove the greatest cross to us of which we said, This same shall comfort us. Those may prove our sworn enemies whose parents were our faithful friends; nay, the same persons that loved us may possibly turn to hate us: therefore cease from man, and say not concerning any place on this side heaven, This is my rest for ever. Observe here,
I. The obligations they lay under to Israel upon Joseph's account were forgotten: There arose a new king, after several successions in Joseph's time, who knew not Joseph, Ex 1:8. 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 regarded, nor had it any influence upon their councils. Note, the best and the most useful and acceptable services done to men are seldom remembered, so as to be recompensed to those that did them, in the notice taken either of their memory, or of their posterity, after their death, Ec 9:5,15. Therefore our great care should be to serve God, and please him, who is not unrighteous, whatever men are, to forget our work and labour of love, Heb 6:10. If we work for men only, our works, at furthest, will die with us; if for God, they will follow us, Re 14:13. This king of Egypt knew not Joseph; and after him arose one that had the impudence to say, I know not the Lord, Ex 5:2. Note, Those that are unmindful of their other benefactors, it is to be feared, will forget the supreme benefactor, 1Jo 4:20.
II. Reasons of state were suggested for their dealing hardly with Israel, Ex 1:9,10. 1. They are represented as more and mightier than the Egyptians; certainly they were not so, but the king of Egypt, when he resolved to oppress them, would have them thought so, and looked on as a formidable body. 2. Hence it is inferred that if care were not taken to keep them under they would become dangerous to the government, and in time of war would side with their enemies and revolt from their allegiance to the crown of Egypt. Note, It has been the policy of persecutors to represent God's Israel as a dangerous people, hurtful to kings and provinces, not fit to be trusted, nay, not fit to be tolerated, that they may have some pretence for the barbarous treatment they design them, Ezr 4:12, Es 3:8. Observe, The thing they feared was lest they should get them up out of the land, probably having heard them speak of the promise made to their fathers that they should settle in Canaan. Note, The policies of the church's enemies aim to defeat the promises of the church's God, but in vain; God's counsels shall stand. 3. It is therefore proposed that a course be taken to prevent their increase: Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply. Note, (1.) The growth of Israel is the grief of Egypt, and that against which the powers and policies of hell are levelled. (2.) 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.
III. The method they took to suppress them, and check their growth, Ex 1:11,13,14. The Israelites behaved themselves so peaceably and inoffensively that they could not find any occasion of making war upon them, and weakening them by that means: and therefore, 1. They took care to keep them poor, by charging them with heavy taxes, which, some think, is included in the burdens with which they afflicted them. 2. By this means they took an effectual course to make them slaves. The Israelites, it should seem, were much more industrious laborious people than the Egyptians, and therefore Pharaoh took care to find them work, both in building (they built him treasure-cities), and in husbandry, even all manner of service in the field: and this was exacted from them with the utmost rigour and severity. Here are many expressions used, to affect us with the condition of God's people. They had taskmasters set over them, who were directed, not only to burden them, but, as much as might be, to afflict them with their burdens, and contrive how to make them grievous. 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, (1.) To break their spirits, and rob them of every thing in them that was ingenuous and generous. (2.) To ruin their health and shorten their days, and so diminish their numbers. (3.) To discourage them from marrying, since their children would be born to slavery. (4.) To oblige them to desert the Hebrews, and incorporate themselves with the Egyptians. Thus he hoped to cut off the name of Israel, that it might be no more in remembrance. And it is to be feared that the oppression they were under had this bad effect upon them, that it brought over many of them to join with the Egyptians in their idolatrous worship; for we read (Jos 24:14) that they served other gods in Egypt; and, though it is not mentioned here in this history, yet we find (Eze 20:8) that God had threatened to destroy them for it, even while they were in the land of Egypt: however, they were kept a distinct body, unmingled with the Egyptians, and by their other customs separated from them, which was the Lord's doing, and marvellous.
IV. The wonderful increase of the Israelites, notwithstanding the oppressions they groaned under (Ex 1:12): The more they afflicted them the more they multiplied, sorely to the grief and vexation of the Egyptians. Note, 1. Times of affliction have often been the church's growing times, Sub pondere crescit—Being pressed, it grows. Christianity spread most when it was persecuted: the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church. 2. Those that take counsel against the Lord and his Israel do but imagine a vain thing (Ps 2:1), and create so much the greater vexation to themselves: hell and earth cannot diminish those whom Heaven will increase.
¹⁵ 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.
¹⁷ 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.
²⁰ 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 Egyptians' indignation at Israel's increase, notwithstanding the many hardships they put upon them, drove them at length to the most barbarous and inhuman methods of suppressing them, by the murder of their children. It was strange that they did not rather pick quarrels with the grown men, against whom they might perhaps find some occasion: to be thus bloody towards the infants, whom all must own to be innocents, was a sin which they had to cloak for. Note, 1. There is more cruelty in the corrupt heart of man than one would imagine, Ro 3:15,16. The enmity that is in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman divests men of humanity itself, and makes them forget all pity. One would not think it possible that ever men should be so barbarous and blood-thirsty as the persecutors of God's people have been, Re 17:6. 2. Even confessed innocence is no defence against the old enmity. What blood so guiltless as that of a child new-born? Yet that is prodigally shed like water, and sucked with delight like milk or honey. Pharaoh and Herod sufficiently proved themselves agents for that great red dragon, who stood to devour the man-child as soon as it was born, Re 12:3,4. Pilate delivered Christ to be crucified, after he had confessed that he found no fault in him. It is well for us that, though man can kill the body, this is all he can do. Two bloody edicts are here signed for the destruction of all the male children that were born to the Hebrews.
I. The midwives were commanded to murder them. Observe, 1. The orders given them, Ex 1:15,16. It added much to the barbarity of the intended executions that the midwives were appointed to be the executioners; for it was to make them, not only bloody, but perfidious, and to oblige them to betray a trust, and to destroy those whom they undertook to save and help. Could he think that their sex would admit such cruelty, and their employment such base treachery? Note, Those who are themselves barbarous think to find, or make, others as barbarous. Pharaoh's project was secretly to engage the midwives to stifle the men-children as soon as they were born, and then to lay it upon the difficulty of the birth, or some mischance common in that case, Job 3:11. The two midwives he tampered with in order hereunto are here named; and perhaps, at this time, which was above eighty years before their going out of Egypt, those two might suffice for all the Hebrew women, at least so many of them as lay near the court, as it is plain by Ex 2:5,6, many of them did, and of them he was most jealous. They are called Hebrew midwives, probably not because they were themselves Hebrews (for surely 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 Hebrews; and, being Egyptians, he hoped to prevail with them. 2. Their pious disobedience to this impious command, Ex 1:17. They feared God, regarded his law, and dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh's, and therefore saved the men-children alive. Note, If men's commands be any way contrary to the commands of God, we must obey God and not man, Ac 4:19,5:29. No power on earth can warrant us, much less oblige us, to sin against God, our chief Lord. Again, Where the fear of God rules in the heart, it will preserve it from the snare which the inordinate fear of man brings. 3. Their justifying themselves in this disobedience, when they were charged with it as a crime, Ex 1:18. They gave a reason for it, which, it seems, God's gracious promise furnished them with—that they came too late to do it, for generally the children were born before they came, Ex 1:19. I see no reason we have to doubt the truth of this; it is plain that the Hebrews were now under an extraordinary blessing of increase, which may well be supposed to have this effect, that the women had very quick and easy labour, and, the mothers and children being both lively, they seldom needed the help of midwives: this these midwives took notice of, and, concluding it to be the finger of God, were thereby emboldened to disobey the king, in favour of those whom Heaven thus favoured, and with this justified themselves before Pharaoh, when he called them to an account for it. Some of the ancient Jews expound it thus, Ere the midwife comes to them they pray to their Father in heaven, and he answereth them, and they do bring forth. Note, God is a readier help to his people in distress than any other helpers are, and often anticipates them with the blessings of his goodness; such deliverances lay them under peculiarly strong obligations. 4. The recompence God gave them for their tenderness towards his people: He dealt well with them, Ex 1:20. Note, God will be behind-hand with none for any kindness done to his people, taking it as done to himself. In particular, he made them houses (Ex 1:21), built them up into families, blessed their children, and prospered them in all they did. Note, The services done for God's Israel are often repaid in kind. The midwives kept up the Israelites' houses, and, in recompence for it, God made them houses. Observe, The recompence has relation to the principle upon which they went: Because they feared God, he made them houses. Note, Religion and piety are good friends to outward prosperity: the fear of God in a house will help to build it up and establish it. Dr. Lightfoot's notion of it is, That, for their piety, they were married to Israelites, and Hebrew families were built up by them.
II. When this project did not take effect, Pharaoh gave public orders to all his people to drown all the male children of the Hebrews, Ex 1:22. We may suppose it was made highly penal for any to know of the birth of a son to an Israelite, and not to give information to those who were appointed to throw him into the river. Note, The enemies of the church have been restless in their endeavours to wear out the saints of the Most High, Da 7:25. But he that sits in heaven shall laugh at them. See Ps 2:4.
我们在本章看到：I. 神对以色列的恩慈，使他们极其兴盛繁衍，（出1:1-7）。II. 埃及人对他们的恶待，1. 压迫并奴役他们，（出1:8-14）。2. 杀害他们的婴孩，（出1:15-22）。如此，天庭所祝福的，埃及全地竟加以咒诅，正因如此。