The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-11-07
THE LESSON TEXT.

that, when there falleth out any war the,
join also unto our enemies. and fgh
against us, and so get them up out Of tn,
land.
II. Therefore they did set over them task.
masters TO affict them with their burdens
And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities
| Pithom and Raamses.
y. But the more they afflicted them. the
more they multiplied and grew. And they
were grieved because OF the children OF
| Israel.
13, And the Egyptians made the children
Of Israel TO serve with rigour:
a. And they made their lives bitter with
hard bondage, in mortar. and in brick, and
! in all manner of service in the field: all
their slIv.ca. wherein they made the N
serve, was with Tigour
GOLDEN TEXT.-God heard their
gronninE, and God remembered His
cOvcnnnt.-Ex. 2;24.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The lesson will properly include
the entire first chapter of Exodus.
The Growth of Israel Tvs. 1-D.-
These first verses of Exodus are a
summary of the conditions under
which Israel grew from a family to
people. Goshen was not very fer
tile, but fit for the pasturage of large
fiocks. Here the conditions for rapid
growth were favorable, because of the
abundance of room, of air and # food.
The number 70 is not exactly accurate
at the time of Jacobs removal to
Egypt, but it is sufficiently so for
counting the number of the first gen.
Grafton. The number that left Egypt
after the first passover was about 600,-
600 (12:3O. The time during which the
nation grew to this size is differently
calculated. A period of 43O years Is
mentioned in several passages (12:40;
Gal. 3:i7; compare Gen. 1919. But
in one case it seems to be reckoned
from the covenant with Abrah ham, and
in the other from the entrance of
Jacob into Egypt. The Greek version
of the Old Testament inserts in Elk.
12:40, the words Gin the land of
Canaan" after the word Egypt" so
that the period covered includes also
the time when Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob lived in Canaan, and the actual
residence of Israel in Egypt was about
2l5 years, or about seven generations.
To increase in that period from 20
to 100000 would require that in each
family an average of about seven chR
dren should grow up and marry. Such
growth would indeed be phenomenal;
and If students of Egyptian history
are right. the longer period must be
taken as correct.
The Oppression Tvs. s-1D.-The
"new king" of verse s was not merely
another ruler, but was a member Of
a new dynasty. He is generally be-
lieved to have been Rameses H.. who
was one of the greatest builders that
ever ruled Egypt. and q very success
full administrator. 1t was an indica-
tion of his care In administration that
he gave his attention to the rapid in.
crease OF the Hebrews. The social
contempt in which shepherds were
held prevented the Hebrews from mix
ing with the Egyptians. OF course, in
that situation friction and jealousy
would be common. The result which
the king expected was therefore quite
possible. The policy Of the Hebrews,
II they could form an alliance against
Egypt. would probably be to weaken
Egypt's power and then select a neigh
boring territory for the founding of
o new government. Egypt would not
be 20 well of il they went away, as
Pharaoh knew. The slavery to which
the Hebrews were reduced was not
OF individual to individual. but of peo-
pie to king. The use Of forced labor
was common in Egypt; even native
Egyptians we're subjected to It, and
by its means great werks like the
pyramids were built. The same meth
cd was used by Solomon in building
the temple. Hard work seldom en-
dangers the increase Of . nation. II
Pharaoh had known how best to pre-
vent Israel's growth, he would have per-
suaded the young and vigorous people
to live in pampered idleness. lsraers
treatment was hard to bearSnot SO
much because the work taxed their
strength as because they were under
inconsiderate and harsh taskmast tiers.
The "rigour" of verses 13 and "A Is
rough and abusive treatment.
Cruel Measures Tvs. 15.22).-The en-
deavor to stop increase by the murder
Of infants was hardly more successful
than thatto stop it by oppressive bur-
dens. Pharaoh found few of his peo-
PIE ready to carry out this order,
though no doubt it had some effect,
and it certainly made male child's
life uncertain.