1. The sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family

5. The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt. 
6. Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
7. But the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
8. Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9. "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us.
10. 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."
11. So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
12. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread.
13. So the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly.
14. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.
15. The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
16. "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live."
17. The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live
18. Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"
19. The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."
20. So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous.
21. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.
22. Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Every boy that is born of you, must be throw into the Nile, but let every girl live."

1. 以色列的眾子、各帶家眷和雅各一同來到埃及、

5 .凡從雅各而生的、共有七十人．   約瑟已經在埃及。

6. 約瑟和他的弟兄、並那一代的人都 死了。

7. 以色列人生養眾多並且繁茂、極其強盛、滿了那地。
8. 有不認識約瑟的新王起來、治理埃及。
9. 對他的百姓說、看哪、這以色列民比我們還多、又比我們強盛
10. 來罷我們不如用巧計待他們、恐怕他們多起來、日後若遇甚麼爭戰的事、就連合我們的仇敵攻擊我們、離開這地去了。
11. 於是埃及人派督工的轄制他們、加重擔苦害他們．他們為法老建造兩座積貨城、就是比東、和蘭塞。
12. 只是越發苦害他們、他們越發多起來、越發蔓延．埃及人就因以色列人愁煩。
13. 埃及人嚴嚴的使以色列人作工。
14. 使他們因作苦工覺得命苦、無論是和泥、是做磚、是作田間各樣的工、在一切的工上都嚴嚴的待他們。
15. 有希伯來的兩個收生婆、一名施弗拉、一名普阿．埃及王對他們說、
16. 你們為希伯來婦人收生、看他們臨盆的時候、若是男孩、就把他殺了、若是女孩、就留他存活。
17. 但是收生婆敬畏　神、不照埃及王的吩咐行、竟存留男孩的性命。
18. 埃及王召了收生婆來、說、你們為甚麼作這事、存留男孩的性命呢。
19. 收生婆對法老說、因為希伯來婦人與埃及婦人不同、希伯來婦人本是健壯的、〔原文作活潑的〕收生婆還沒有到、他們已經生產了。
20. 神厚待收生婆．以色列人多起來、極其強盛。
21. 收生婆因為敬畏　神、　神便叫他們成立家室。
22. 法老吩咐他的眾民說、以色列人所生的男孩、你們都要丟在河裡、一切的女孩、你們要存留他的性命。

A. During Days of Prosperity Exodus 1:1-7, “The children of Israel, or Israelites, were the descendants of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel after he wrestled with the angel (see Genesis 32:24-30). Jacob’s family had moved to Egypt at the invitation of Joseph, one of Jacob’s sons who had become a great ruler under Pharaoh, Jacob’s family grew into a large nation. But, as foreigners and newcomers, their lives were quite different from the Egyptians. The Hebrews worshiped one God; the Egyptians worshiped many gods. The Hebrews were wanders; the Egyptians had a deeply rooted culture. The Hebrews were shepherds; the Egyptians were builders. The Hebrews were also physically separated from the rest o the Egyptians: They lived in Goshen, north of the great Egyptian cultural centers. -  P.126 Commentary of NIV.

Exodus begins by listing Jacob’s 12 sons whose families came to number “seventy in all,” a number that symbolizes abundance (v. 5). These families “were exceedingly fruitful” and “multiplied greatly”, They “became so numerous that the land was filled with them” (v. 7). These words recall God’s promise to make Abraham’s offspring as numerous as the stars in the sky (Ge.15:4). They also answer the prayer of Isaac for Jacob when he said, “May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers” (Ge.28:3).

This introduction to the Exodus story reminds us how important it is to recall God’s blessing in our lives. Unfortunately we can take such blessings for granted, especially in times of prosperity. We must intentionally remind ourselves of God’s amazing grace each day. Whether large or small, all blessings come from the hand of God. 

A. 當繁榮之時期：出埃及記1:1:7, 以色列的眾子、就是雅各的兒子、也稱為以色列人。雅各與天使角力後，神賜他的名字為以色列 (參創32:24-30). 雅各的一個兒子約瑟在埃及作了宰相，地位僅次於法老。他把父親全家人接到埃及定居。四百年後雅各的家族衍生成為大族。起初生活習慣與埃及人不同：希伯來人敬拜唯一的真神，埃及人則拜許多假神；希伯來人是遊牧民族，埃及人卻有根深柢固的文化；希伯來人以牧羊為業，埃及人是定居的，善於建築。他們到埃及市寄居的各帶家眷和雅各一同來到埃及、凡從雅各而生的、共有七十人．約瑟已經在埃及。以色列人住在埃及北部的Goshen (歌珊), 遠離埃及的文化中心，甚少與埃及人來往。(靈修版解經 P.114)

出埃及記開始類出雅各的12個兒子，〝全家共有七十人〞，這數目象徵豐富(v. 5). 這些家庭〝超過多產的〞和〝多繁殖的〞〝他們的人數是充滿於地〞(v. 7).，這些應允了上帝說過的要使希伯來族之始祖亞伯拉罕的子孫如天空之星那麼多(創.15:4) 也回應了以撒給雅各的禱告說，“萬能的上帝祝福你和多繁殖你的數量” (創世記.28:3).

在此介紹出埃及記之故事時，使我們想到在生活中得上帝的祝福是何等的重要；不幸的是在我們興隆之時卻疏忽了上帝的祝福。每日，必專住想到上帝的恩典無論是大的或是小的，所有的祝福都來自上帝萬能的手。

B. During the days of Adversity Exodus 1:8-14, haraoh was afraid the Israelites were becoming so numerous that they would organize and threaten his kingdom, so he made them slaves and oppressed them to kill their spirit and stop their growth. Slavery was an ancient practice used by almost all nations to employ conquered people, Although Israel was not conquered nation, but the people were foreigners and thus lacked the rights of native Egyptians.

 There were levels of slavery in Egypt. Some slaves worked long hours in mud pits while others were skilled carpenters, craftsmen. Regardless of their skill or level, all slaves were watched closely by ruthless slave in masters, supervisors whose assignment was to keep the slaves working as fast as possible. There were specialists at making a slave’s life miserable.

The Egyptians tried to wear down the Hebrew people by forcing them into slavery and mistreating them. Instead, the Hebrews multiplied and grew stronger. When we are burdened or mistreated, we may feel defeated.  But our burdens can make us stronger and develop qualities in us that will prepare us for the future. We cannot be over-comers without troubles to overcome. Be true to God in the hard times because even the worst situations can make us better people.

Over the centuries God’s people often testify to the truth of this paradox: the more adversity, the more blessing. V.12 - the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread. Paul knew that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). It is God’s way with His people.

C. During the days of More Adversity Exodus 1:15-22: God’s blessing upon Israel, the king of Egypt came up with another plan. He ordered Hebrew midwives to kill male babies as they were delivered. In a patriarchal society family lineage continued through sons. So the elimination of males would surely stunt Israelite population growth and thus the blessing of God.

God-fearing midwives, however, undermined the king’s plan. They “did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do” because God’s approval was more important to them than his (v. 17). They knew that the God of Israel loved children, because they were signs of His blessing. Since the dawn of creation God had commanded humans to, “Be fruitful and increase in number” (Genesis 1:28).

As a reward for honoring God’s values, the midwives received God’s blessing. “He gave them families of their own” (v. 21). In addition, God continued to bless the community of Israel “and the people increased and became even more numerous” (v. 20). Once again, as wickedness pressed in, God’s blessing broke out.

POINT: A popular hymn entitled “Count Your Blessings” challenges God’s people to recount their blessings even in life’s most difficult times. When we do, the song says we will be surprised at what God has done. When we pause to take notice, we will see that God has been blessing our lives, in the bad times as well as the good. The great heart of God always seems to find a way to bless those He loves.

      Think about those who might be   considered oppressed. In what ways can God work through your life to be a blessing to them?

B. 當不幸之時期：出埃及記1:8-14

以色列人口眾多，法老甚怕萬一他們組織起來威脅他的國，故強破以色列人作奴隸，多方壓迫，阻止以色列人口增長。古代，各國使用奴隸，來對待被征服的民族，以色列人雖然不是被征服的民族，卻是外族人，享受不到埃及公民的各種權力。

埃及有多種奴隸，有些在泥坑中長時間工作、有些精於技藝的便做木工、雕刻。不管他們屬哪一類的奴工，監督很嚴厲，催促以色列人盡快完工。督工們慣於折磨奴隸。

埃及人強迫以色列人作奴隸，虐待以色列人，想使其喪志，人丁減少，可是恰恰相反，以色列人口激增，並且強大起來。我們受到重壓苦待時，也可能覺得很喪心，但是重擔使我們更堅強，產生力量，使我們能面對未來。沒有苦難來磨鍊，就不能真正成為得勝者。身處艱難困苦中，我們對上帝仍要忠心，因為既使是最悲慘的處境，上帝也能朔造我們，成全我們。

幾百年來 上帝的子民經常見證這個似非而是的真實議論：愈受苦難、愈受祝福。如上述 “只是越發苦害他們、他們越發多起來、越發蔓延．” (v. 12). 保羅也說過，“我們曉得萬事都互相效力、叫愛　神的人得益處.. (羅馬書 8:28)，那是上帝與祂的百姓之關係方式。

C. 當更不幸之時期：出1:15-22   以色列蒙受上帝的祝福，但埃及王出一個主意，命令希伯來的兩個收生婆 臨盆時、就把男嬰殺掉。在早期的社會家庭繼續傳承是男孩，所以限制男性的出生、就阻礙以色列人口增加，但還是成長是上帝的祝福。

17節說，“但是收生婆敬畏　神、不照埃及王的吩咐行、竟存留男孩的性命。”因為上帝的旨意本是 重於王的吩咐。她們知道以色列人的神愛小孩，因他們滿受祝福的。神賜福他們、對他們說、“要生養眾多、遍滿地面..” (創世記 1:28) 。

收生婆因為敬畏　神、　神便祝福她們叫他們成立家室(21節)。除此之外，上帝繼續祝福以色列，以色列人多起來、極其強盛(20節)。再叮嚀，邪惡的心進來，上帝的祝福就出去。

重點: 一則普遍的讚美詩說，“數算你的幸福 (或祝福)“。這支歌勉勵上帝的子民重算在最困難中上帝的祝福。當我們重算，如歌中所說的你將驚喜上帝的作為。當我們寫下來記錄，您將會看到上帝祝福我們的生活和生存無論是好景或逆境。上帝的心總是用祂的愛來祝福我們的。

想一想那些也許被壓迫的人！       用何方式使上帝透過您的生活行態使其得福呢?

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