Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
10. deal wisely ] I.e., in a bad sense, craftily, paraphrased by ‘deal subtilly’ in Psa 105:25. Such a people might be dangerous especially on the frontiers: the Pharaoh does not, however, propose to expel them from his territory: he will retain them as subjects, whose services might be profitable to him; but he will take measures to limit their freedom and check their increase.
falleth out ] read, upon grammatical grounds, when any war befalleth us ( for ): so Sam. LXX. Pesh. Vulg. Onk. Di. &c.; cf. G.-K. 47k.
unto our enemies ] Egypt was particularly liable to the incursions of Shasu (Bedawin), and other Asiatic tribes, across its N.E. frontier, which indeed, as early as the time of Usertesen I, of the 12th dynasty (b.c. 1980 35 Breasted), had been strengthened against them by a line of military posts, or fortresses (Maspero, Dawn of Civil. pp. 351, 469 n., 471: cf. below, pp. 127, 141).
get them up (Heb. simply go up)] viz. from Egypt to the high ground of Canaan (which is at least in the narrator’s mind). So Gen 13:1, and frequently; and conversely go down, Gen 12:10; Gen 46:3, &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Any war – The Northeastern frontier was infested by the neighboring tribes, the Shasous of Egyptian monuments, and war was waged with Egypt by the confederated nations of Western Asia under the reigns of the successors of Amosis. These incursions were repulsed with extreme difficulty. In language, features, costume, and partly also in habits, the Israelites probably resembled those enemies of Egypt.
Out of the land – The Pharaohs apprehended the loss of revenue and power, which would result from the withdrawal of a peaceful and industrious race.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. They join also unto our enemies] It has been conjectured that Pharaoh had probably his eye on the oppressions which Egypt had suffered under the shepherd-kings, who for a long series of years had, according to Manetho, governed the land with extreme cruelty. As the Israelites were of the same occupation, (viz., shepherds,) the jealous, cruel king found it easy to attribute to them the same motives; taking it for granted that they were only waiting for a favourable opportunity to join the enemies of Egypt, and so overrun the whole land.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
War was not unusual in that country. So get them up out of the land, which they might easily learn from some of the Hebrews, that they were in due time to do. And they were very unwilling to pint with them, because of the tribute and service which they did receive and expect from them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Come on,…. Which is a word of exhortation, stirring up to a quick dispatch of business, without delay, the case requiring haste, and some speedy and a matter of indifference:
let us deal wisely with them; form some wise schemes, take some crafty methods to weaken and diminish them gradually; not with open force of arms, but in a more private and secret manner, and less observed:
lest they multiply; yet more and more, so that in time it may be a very difficult thing to keep them under, and many disadvantages to the kingdom may arise from them, next observed:
and it come to pass, that when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies; their neighbours the Arabians, and Phoenicians, and Ethiopians: with the latter the Egyptians had wars, as they had in the times of Moses, as Josephus p relates, and Artapanus q, an Heathen writer, also: Sir John Marsham r thinks these enemies were the old Egyptians, with whom the Israelites had lived long in a friendly manner, and so more likely to join with them, the Thebans who lived in upper Egypt, and between whom and the pastor kings that reigned in lower Egypt there were frequent wars; but these had been expelled from Egypt some time ago:
and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land; take the opportunity, by joining their enemies and fighting against them, to get away from them out of Egypt into the land of Canaan, from whence they came: this, it seems, the Egyptians had some notion of, that they were meditating something of this kind, often speaking of the land of Canaan being theirs, and that they should in a short time inherit it; and though they were dreaded by the Egyptians, they did not care to part with them, being an industrious laborious people, and from whom the kingdom reaped many advantages.
p Antiqu. l. 2. c. 10. q Ut supra. (Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 431.) r Canon Chron. See 8. p. 107.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(10) Let us deal wisely.Instead of open force, the king proposes stratagem. He thinks that he has hit upon a wise schemea clever planby which the numbers of the Israelites will be kept down, and they will cease to be formidable. The nature of the plan appears in Exo. 1:11.
When there falleth out any war.The Egyptians were in general an aggressive peoplea terror to their neighbours, and seldom the object of attack. But about the beginning of the nineteenth dynasty a change took place. A great nation grew up beyond the frontier on the north-east to an importance and power which began to endanger the Egyptian supremacy in Western Asia (Brugsch, History of Egypt, vol. ii. p. 2). War threatened them from this quarter, and the impending danger was felt to be great.
They join also.Rather, they too join. It was not.likely that the Hebrews would have any real sympathy with the attacking nation, whether Arabs, Philistines, Syrians, or Hittites; but they might regard an invasion as affording them a good opportunity of striking a blow for freedom, and, therefore, attack the Egyptians simultaneously with their other foes. The Egyptians themselves would perhaps suppose a closer connection between them and the other Eastern races than really existed.
Get them up out of the land.The Pharaohs of the nineteenth dynasty were excessively jealous of the withdrawal from Egypt of any of their subjects, and endeavoured both to hinder and to recover them. Immigration was encouraged, emigration sternly checked. The loss of the entire nation of the Hebrews could not be contemplated without extreme alarm.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. There falleth any war Literally, When wars arise . (Nordh . Gr. , 752.) He saw that there was being developed in the midst of his empire a hostile nation, which would be a dangerous internal enemy in time of war, and might at any time assert its independence.
Get them up out of the land This incidental remark shows that Israel had not forgotten the great national promises made to their fathers, and that their national hopes were not unknown to the Egyptians even before Moses arose.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 1:10. Come on, let us, &c. It is not to be conceived that the Egyptians could be ignorant of the Israelites’ intention to return and settle in Canaan. Sensible therefore of the advantages arising to the community from such a body of people, yet fearful lest their great increase might render them too powerful, they determined, with subtle policy, to prevent that increase, and so weaken their power. Let us deal subtilely with them therefore, say they, (ne crescant amplius, observes Houbigant,) lest they should increase still more, and so, upon any occasion, join the enemies of Egypt, and assert their own liberty.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 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.
Ver. 10. Come on, let us deal wisely. ] So as the world’s wizards use to do: but God taketh – – these foxes in their own craft. 1Co 3:19 Your labouring men have the most and lustiest children. Every “oppressor” is a fool. Pro 28:16
Lest, when there falleth out any war.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
deal wisely = diplomatically. The wisdom of Egypt ended in Pharaoh having to bring up, educate, and prepare the very man who was to accomplish what he feared. Compare Job 5:13. Pro 19:21; Pro 19:21, Pro 19:30, Psa 33:10, Psa 33:11. Zoan was the capital of Egypt, and noted for wisdom. But compare God’s comment in Isa 19:11, Isa 19:13; and Psa 78:12, Psa 78:13.
falleth out. Aramaean, Samaritan Pentateuch, and Septuagint read “befall us. ”
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Come on: Psa 10:2, Psa 83:3, Psa 83:4, Pro 1:11
wisely: Num 22:6, Job 5:13, Psa 105:25, Pro 16:25, Pro 21:30, Act 7:19, Act 23:12, 1Co 3:18-20, Jam 3:15-18
Reciprocal: Exo 18:11 – in the thing 2Sa 16:20 – Give counsel 1Ki 12:28 – took counsel Psa 33:10 – The Lord Psa 73:8 – speak wickedly Isa 10:24 – after the manner Hab 3:14 – their Mat 2:7 – General Luk 16:8 – done 1Co 3:19 – He
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 1:10-11. Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply When men deal wickedly, it is common for them to imagine that they deal wisely, but the folly of sin will at last be manifested before all men. They set over them task-masters, to afflict them With this very design. They not only made them serve, which was sufficient for Pharaohs profit, but they made them serve with rigour, so that their lives became bitter to them; intending hereby to break their spirits, and to rob them of every thing in them that was generous; to ruin their health, and shorten their days, and so diminish their numbers; to discourage them from marrying, since their children would be born to slavery; and to oblige them to desert the Hebrews, and incorporate with the Egyptians. And it is to be feared the oppression they were under did bring over many of them to join with the Egyptians in their idolatrous worship; for we read, Jos 24:14, that they served other gods in Egypt; and we find, Eze 20:8, that God had threatened to destroy them for it, even while they were in the land of Egypt. Treasure-cities To keep the kings money or corn, wherein a great part of the riches of Egypt consisted.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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] {d} get them up out of the land.
(d) Into Canaan, and so we shall lose our conveniences.