Exodus 1:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

NIV: Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

NASB: Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

CSB: Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

NLT: Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

KJV: Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

NKJV: Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Exodus opens by explaining Israel's initial settlement in Egypt. Four more of Jacob's sons are mentioned in this verse. Dan was the child of Jacob and Rachel's servant Bilhah. When Rachel was barren, she told Jacob to have a child with her servant so Rachel would have a child accounted as her own (Genesis 30:1–6). Jacob and Bilhah also had a second son named Naphtali, making Dan and Naphtali brothers with the same father and mother (Genesis 30:7–8).

Leah stopped bearing children for a time and she also gave Jacob her servant, named Zilpah, "as a wife" (Genesis 30:9). Jacob and Zilpah had two sons together named Gad and Asher, whose names mean "good fortune" and "happy" (Genesis 30:9–13). In their culture, sons born through a wife's servant were considered children of the servant's owner. Gad and Asher were both born in Paddan-aram (Genesis 35:26).

Exodus 1:1–14 describes the explosive growth of the nation of Israel and the erosion of their relationship to Egypt. Joseph's efforts in the past saved Egypt from ruin, and his family was welcomed into the land. Generations later, the drastic increase in their population is seen as a threat to the Egyptian people. Motivated by a combination of fear and disgust, the king of Egypt brutally enslaves the people of Israel to reduce their numbers. This effort fails, and the following passage shows Pharaoh resorting to infanticide.

The children of Abraham and Jacob grow rapidly, forming a prosperous nation made up of twelve tribes, one for each son of Jacob. This inspires fear and hate from the Egyptians. Their king first tries to slow down the Hebrews' growth by enslaving them. Next, he increases the brutality of their work. Then, he tries to command Jewish midwives to kill their own people's newborn baby boys. When these all fail, he openly orders the murder of all Jewish infant boys. Inadvertently, this creates the very situation which leads to the rise of Israel's eventual leader, Moses.

Exodus chapter 1 establishes the difficult reality faced by the nation of Israel. At the end of Genesis, Abraham's descendants were finally safe. In this passage, they become prosperous and expand rapidly. This, however, results in fear and hatred from the native Egyptians, who enact a program of slavery and infanticide against the Hebrews. This sets the scene for the arrival of Israel's greatest leader, the prophet Moses, who will speak for God during this time of Israel's rescue. The next chapter explains Moses' dangerous childhood and exile in the desert.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 11/21/2024 8:34:21 AM