Basic HTML Version
Moses, the Leader of God’s People
This chapter is based on Exodus 1 to 4.
In recognition of the service that Joseph had given to the Egyp-
tian nation, the children of Jacob were granted a part of the country
as a home, were not required to pay taxes, and were generously
supplied with food during the famine. The king publicly acknowl-
edged that it was through the God of Joseph that Egypt enjoyed
plenty while other nations were dying from famine. He saw, too,
that Joseph’s management had greatly enriched the kingdom, and
his gratitude surrounded the family of Jacob with royal favor.
But as time rolled on, the great man to whom Egypt owed so
much passed to the grave, and “there arose a new king over Egypt,
who did not know Joseph.” Not that he was ignorant of Joseph’s
services to the nation, but he did not want to recognize them. As
far as possible, he wanted them to be forgotten. “And he said to
his people, ‘Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and
mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they
multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our
enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.’”
The Israelites already “were fruitful and increased abundantly,
multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled
with them.” But they had kept themselves a distinct race, having
nothing in common with the Egyptians in customs or religion, and
their increasing numbers now fueled the fears of the king and his
people.
Many of them were able and skilled workmen, and they greatly
added to the wealth of the nation. The king needed such workers in
erecting his magnificent palaces and temples. So he ranked them
with Egyptians who had sold themselves and their possessions to the
kingdom. Soon taskmasters were set over them, and their slavery
became complete. “The Egyptians made the children of Israel serve
with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in
150