Exodus 1:10 - Forerunner Commentary

Exodus 1:10

8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, ^awho did not know Joseph.

9 And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and ^amightier than we;

10 ^acome, let us ^bdeal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”

11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them ^ato afflict them with their ^bburdens. And they built for Pharaoh ^csupply cities, Pithom ^dand Raamses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.

13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel ^aserve with rigor.

14 And they ^amade their lives bitter with hard bondage—^bin mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.

15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the ^aHebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah;

16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a ^ason, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”

17 But the midwives ^afeared God, and did not do ^bas the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.

18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?”

Verse Comparison: Exodus 1:10

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American Standard Version
come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.

Amplified® Bible
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply more and, should war befall us, they join our enemies, fight against us, and escape out of the land.

Contemporary English Version
If we don't outsmart them, their families will keep growing larger. And if our country goes to war, they could easily fight on the side of our enemies and escape from Egypt.

Darby English Version
Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass that, if war occur, they take side with our enemies and fight against us, and go up out of the land.

Good News Bible
In case of war they might join our enemies in order to fight against us, and might escape from the country. We must find some way to keep them from becoming even more numerous."

King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
"Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land."

New International Version
Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."

New King James Version
come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
"Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land."

Revised Standard Version
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war befall us, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land."

Young's Literal Translation
give help! let us act wisely concerning it, lest it multiply, and it hath come to pass, when war happeneth, that it hath been joined, even it, unto those hating us, and hath fought against us, and hath gone out up of the land.'

New English Translation
Come, let’s deal wisely¹ with them. Otherwise² they will continue to multiply,³ and if⁴ a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with⁵ our enemies and fight against us and leave⁶ the country.”

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