Exodus 1:12-14

Context
1:12 But the more the Egyptians¹ oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread.² As a result the Egyptians loathed³ the Israelites, 1:13 and they⁴ made the Israelites serve rigorously.⁵ 1:14 They made their lives bitter⁶ by⁷ hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of service⁸ in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.⁹

Exodus 1:22

Context

1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “All sons¹⁰ that are born you must throw¹¹ into the river, but all daughters you may let live.”¹²

[1:12] ¹tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:12] ²tn The imperfect tenses in this verse are customary uses, expressing continual action in past time (see GKC 315 §107.e). For other examples of כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka’asher) with כֵּן (ken) expressing a comparison (“just as…so”) see Gen 41:13; Judg 1:7; Isa 31:4.

[1:12] ³tn Heb “they felt a loathing before/because of”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:13] ⁴tn Heb “the Egyptians.” For stylistic reasons this has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation.

[1:13] ⁵tn Heb “with rigor, oppression.”

[1:14] ⁶sn The verb מָרַר (marar) anticipates the introduction of the theme of bitterness in the instructions for the Passover.

[1:14] ⁷tn The preposition bet (ב) in this verse has the instrumental use: “by means of” (see GKC 380 §119.o).

[1:14] ⁸tn Heb “and in all service.”

[1:14] ⁹tn The line could be more literally translated, “All their service in which they served them [was] with rigor.” This takes the referent of בָּהֶם (bahem) to be the Egyptians. The pronoun may also resume the reference to the kinds of service and so not be needed in English: “All their service in which they served [was] with rigor.”

[1:22] ¹⁰tn The substantive כֹּל (kol) followed by the article stresses the entirety – “all sons” or “all daughters” – even though the nouns are singular in Hebrew (see GKC 411 §127.b).

[1:22] ¹¹tn The form includes a pronominal suffix that reiterates the object of the verb: “every son…you will throw it.”

[1:22] ¹²tn The first imperfect has the force of a definite order, but the second, concerning the girls, could also have the nuance of permission, which may fit better. Pharaoh is simply allowing the girls to live.