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Exodus Chapter Study

Israel Multiplies in Egypt and Pharaoh Oppresses the Hebrews

Exodus 1 (KJV)

Exodus 1 begins with Israel multiplying in Egypt, a new Pharaoh rising who does not know Joseph, and the Hebrews entering a season of oppression that sets the stage for God's deliverance.

What You'll Learn

• How Exodus continues the story from Genesis
• Why the sons of Jacob are listed at the beginning of Exodus
• How Israel multiplied greatly in Egypt
• Why a new Pharaoh feared the Hebrews
• How Egypt placed Israel under harsh bondage
• Why oppression could not stop God's blessing
• How Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill the male children
• Why Shiphrah and Puah feared God more than Pharaoh
• How God blessed the midwives for their faithfulness
• How Exodus 1 prepares the way for the birth of Moses

Exodus 1 teaches that no earthly power can stop God's covenant promises, and those who fear God must obey Him even when human authority commands evil.

Bible Translation Note Scripture Verse-by-Verse Study Chapter Synopsis Prayer Personal Application Weekly Actions Chapter Summary

Bible Translation Note: All Scripture on this page is quoted from the King James Version (KJV) and presented in full without alteration.

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

Exodus 1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Exodus 1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Exodus 1:4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Exodus 1:5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

Exodus 1:6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

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

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

Exodus 1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

Exodus 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 get them up out of the land.

Exodus 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

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

Exodus 1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:

Exodus 1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

Exodus 1:15 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:

Exodus 1:16 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.

Exodus 1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

Exodus 1:18 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?

Exodus 1:19 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.

Exodus 1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

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

Exodus 1:22 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.

Exodus 1:1

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

Study: Exodus begins by connecting directly to Genesis. The family of Jacob entered Egypt by God's providence, and the story now continues with what became of that covenant family.

Exodus 1:2

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Study: The names of Jacob's sons are listed to remind us that Israel began as a family before becoming a nation. God's promise was being carried through real people and real generations.

Exodus 1:3

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Study: The continued listing of Jacob's sons shows the tribal foundation of Israel. The family God preserved through famine would become the nation God would deliver from bondage.

Exodus 1:4

Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Study: The list completes the sons of Jacob who came into Egypt. These names point back to God's covenant work in Genesis and forward to the tribes of Israel.

Exodus 1:5

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

Study: Israel entered Egypt as a small family of seventy, with Joseph already there by God's providence. What looked small at the beginning would become a great nation by God's faithfulness.

Exodus 1:6

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

Study: Joseph and his generation pass away, but God's promises do not die with them. The Lord remains faithful beyond the lifetime of any one person or generation.

Exodus 1:7

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

Study: God's promise to Abraham is being fulfilled. Israel is fruitful, growing, and becoming mighty, showing that God's covenant blessing continues even in a foreign land.

Exodus 1:8

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

Study: A new Pharaoh rises who does not honor Joseph's legacy. The favor Israel once experienced in Egypt begins to disappear as a new ruler views them differently.

Exodus 1:9

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

Study: Pharaoh sees Israel's growth as a threat. Instead of recognizing God's blessing, he responds with fear, suspicion, and political concern.

Exodus 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 get them up out of the land.

Study: Pharaoh disguises oppression as wisdom. His plan is driven by fear that Israel might become too strong, join Egypt's enemies, and leave the land.

Exodus 1:11

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

Study: Egypt places Israel under forced labor. The Hebrews are afflicted with heavy burdens and used to build treasure cities for Pharaoh.

Exodus 1:12

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

Study: Pharaoh's oppression fails. The more Israel is afflicted, the more they multiply, showing that human opposition cannot stop God's blessing.

Exodus 1:13

And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:

Study: Egypt intensifies its control. The word "rigour" shows the severity and cruelty of Israel's bondage under Egyptian rule.

Exodus 1:14

And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

Study: Israel's daily life becomes bitter. Their bondage affects construction, field labor, and every kind of service, revealing the heaviness of their suffering.

Exodus 1:15

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:

Study: Pharaoh turns from forced labor to a more direct attack on Hebrew life. Shiphrah and Puah are named, honoring their courage and faithfulness.

Exodus 1:16

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.

Study: Pharaoh commands the murder of Hebrew baby boys. His fear has grown into open evil, targeting the future strength of Israel.

Exodus 1:17

But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

Study: The midwives fear God more than Pharaoh. Their obedience to God leads them to preserve life rather than obey a wicked command.

Exodus 1:18

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?

Study: Pharaoh confronts the midwives because his plan has failed. Their courage places them in danger, but they remain on the side of life and obedience to God.

Exodus 1:19

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.

Study: The midwives answer Pharaoh, and the Hebrew children continue to live. The passage emphasizes that their defining motive was the fear of God.

Exodus 1:20

Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

Study: God blesses the midwives for their faithfulness. Pharaoh's plan again fails, and Israel continues to multiply and grow strong.

Exodus 1:21

And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Study: God honors those who honor Him. The midwives feared the Lord, and He blessed them with households of their own.

Exodus 1:22

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.

Study: Pharaoh now makes his murderous command public. Yet even this dark decree cannot stop God's plan, because the next chapter will show God preserving Moses through the very waters Pharaoh meant for death.

Exodus 1 begins by naming the sons of Jacob who came into Egypt. The chapter connects the book of Exodus to the closing events of Genesis and reminds readers that Israel began as a family brought into Egypt during Joseph's lifetime.

After Joseph, his brothers, and that generation died, the children of Israel continued to multiply. They became fruitful, abundant, and mighty, filling the land. God's covenant promise to Abraham was being fulfilled even though Israel was living outside the land of Canaan.

A new Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph. He feared Israel's growth and worried that the Hebrews might join Egypt's enemies in time of war. His fear led him to place taskmasters over the Israelites and afflict them with heavy burdens.

Pharaoh's plan failed because the more Egypt afflicted Israel, the more Israel multiplied and grew. Instead of stopping God's people, oppression only revealed that God's blessing could not be overturned by human power.

Pharaoh then commanded the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill the male children at birth. But the midwives feared God and refused to obey the king's wicked command. They saved the male children alive, choosing obedience to God over obedience to Pharaoh.

God dealt well with the midwives and blessed them because they feared Him. Israel continued to grow mighty, and Pharaoh responded by commanding all his people to cast every Hebrew son into the river. The chapter ends in darkness, but it prepares the way for God's deliverance through Moses.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being faithful to Your promises even when Your people walk through hard seasons. Help me trust You when circumstances feel heavy and uncertain. Give me courage to fear You more than man, to obey You when the world pressures me to compromise, and to believe that no opposition can stop Your plan. Strengthen my faith and teach me to stand for what is right. In Jesus' name, Amen.

• Read Exodus 1 again and note every sign of God's faithfulness
• Memorize Exodus 1:17
• Write down one area where you need courage to obey God
• Pray for strength to fear God more than the opinions of people
• Identify one difficult situation where God may still be working
• Encourage someone who feels pressured or opposed in their faith
• Thank God that His promises cannot be stopped by earthly power

Exodus 1 records the growth of Israel in Egypt after the death of Joseph and his generation. The children of Israel multiply greatly, fulfilling God's promise, but a new Pharaoh arises who does not know Joseph and sees the Hebrews as a threat. Pharaoh places Israel under harsh bondage, but the more they are afflicted, the more they multiply. He then commands the Hebrew midwives to kill the male children, but Shiphrah and Puah fear God and save the children alive. God blesses the midwives, and Israel continues to grow. The chapter ends with Pharaoh ordering every Hebrew son to be cast into the river, setting the stage for the birth and preservation of Moses in Exodus 2.

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