Chapter 22—Moses, the Leader of God’s People
This chapter is based on
Exodus 1
to 4.
On account of the service that Joseph had rendered the Egyptian
nation, the children of Jacob were not only granted a part of the coun-
try as a home but were exempted from taxation and liberally supplied
with food during the famine. The king publicly acknowledged that
it was through the God of Joseph that Egypt enjoyed plenty while
other nations were perishing from famine. He saw, too, that Joseph’s
management had greatly enriched the kingdom, and his gratitude sur-
rounded 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 up a new king over Egypt, which
knew not Joseph.” Not that he was ignorant of Joseph’s services to
the nation, but he wished to make no recognition of them, and, so far
as possible, to bury them in oblivion. “And he said unto his people,
Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than
we: 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.”
The Israelites already “were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and
multiplied, and waxed exceeding 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 excited the fears of the king and his people.
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Many of them were able and understanding workmen, and they
added greatly to the wealth of the nation. The king needed such
laborers for the erection of his magnificent palaces and temples. Ac-
cordingly he ranked them with the Egyptians who had sold themselves
with their possessions to the kingdom. Soon taskmasters were set
over them, and their slavery became complete. “The Egyptians made
the children of Israel to serve with rigor: and they made their lives
bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of
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