In Exodus 1, we move ahead to some years after Joseph's death. There's a new Pharaoh who doesn't know anything about Joseph. Jacob's descendants in Egypt have grown into a large nation, more mighty than the Egyptians commanded by the new Pharaoh. This makes Pharaoh nervous. So he tries to figure out what to do.
Skeptic's Annotated Bible
1:1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
1:4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
1:5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls:
Except that it was 71. Oops.
for Joseph was in Egypt already.
1:6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
Like rabbits. Or cockroaches.
1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
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.
Sounds like what they need to do is open diplomatic discussions with them, describe the mutual benefits of a peace accord, and enter into a treaty with them. That would be wise.
1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.
I guess we're going with unwise, then.
And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor:
1:14 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 service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.
With rigor I say! So the Israelites are conscripted into slavery to the Egyptians because they were so powerful that they could overthrow the Egyptians? Um, anyone else see a contradiction here?
1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
1:16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
What? Kill all the male sons? That's a horrible thing to do! Only a savage, barbarian people could perpetrate such a crime!
1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
Whew!
1:18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
Oh, I don't know, because it's wrong to kill? And by the way, you don't need a carving on a tablet to know that.
1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
Whereupon Pharaoh doubled over with laughter at the ridiculously weak lie.
1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
You know, I've never understood this whole perspective of fearing God. Why would a god value obedience due to fear over cooperation due to love? If I'm a deity and I want people to worship me, but they only do it because they're afraid I'll drown everyone (oh wait, no more floods; I guess I can just bring some plagues or something), that doesn't seem very sincere. So when I hear "God-fearing," I hear "insincere obedience," like whipped slaves. When you say "God-fearing," you're admitting that the deity you worship prefers cowering simps over genuine subjects (and is willing to perpetrate horrible crimes against these subjects in order to foster the fear and cowardice that he so desires). I see no reason to respect the idea of a deity that demands fear and is willing to kill and hurt people to get it. Like Pharaoh attacking the children of the people he fears, it seems pretty unwise, especially for an omniscient being.
1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
If you're afraid of a people because they are so mighty that they could overthrow you, the wise course is NOT to antagonize them by slaughtering their children. This is, basically, a declaration of war, but attacking children instead of adult soldiers. Unconscionable. But before you start with "they only did it because they're not God-fearing Israelites," remember that the Israelite side will commit the same horrible assault on first-born male children. And if you respond with something inane like "the Egyptians did it first," I can only conclude that you're an insane psychopath who thinks that killing an innocent human being, a child, is reasonable vengeance. Here's a hint: it isn't.
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