Seder 45: Exodus 1-2---Israel Enslaved but not Defeated

 Egypt and its rulers had benefitted greatly from the wisdom of Joseph and the presence of his family.  This is one example of the promise to Abraham and his descendants in Gen 12:1-3.  

But eventually they refused to acknowledge the truth.  A pharaoh warned of the threat posed by the presence of this growing nation within their nation (Ex 1:9-10).  He questioned the loyalty of these people who, he knew, planned to return to Canaan one day.  

The Egyptians then enslaved the Israelites, but this did nothing to reduce their numbers (vv 11-12).  The continued growth of the Israelite population shows God continued blessing and implies highlights the faith of the women of Israel, who continued to carry out the commandment to "be fruitful and multiply" even under these trying circumstances.  

The Pharaoh then decided to pursue a policy of genocide, ordering the leaders of the midwives of the Israelites to have all male infants killed.  

Questions are often raised about the rationale behind such a policy.  The idea may have been that with fewer males, Israel would pose less of a military threat.  Another possibility:  one midrash says that the royal magicians had determined that a male deliverer of Israel would soon be born. 

Whatever the rationale, the policy was ineffective.  The courageous midwives refused to enforce it, continuing in their commitment to promote life and fearing God rather than Pharaoh.  God rewarded these brave women for their faith and courage.  

While Pharaoh focused on the threat posed by Israelite men, a number of women thwarted his policies, including his own daughter, who rescued the baby Moses (Ex 2:1-10).  

We do not know the name of this woman who chose to defy her father's order.  The book of Jubilees (47:5) calls her Tharmuth, and Josephus calls her Thermuthis.  Another tradition identifies her as Bithiya or Batya, the daughter of a Pharaoh who married Mered from the tribe of Judah and became an Israelite (1 Chr 4:17).  The name Batya means "daugther of God."  One tradition says since Batya adopted Moses as her son, God adopted her as his daughter.  

Rob Wilson spoke on Exodus 1-2 at Church of the Messiah on Feb 20, 2021.