Exo 1:12 | NETfull | STEP | But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites,

Exodus 1:12

12 But the more the Egyptians ^{▼▼ Heb “they”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. ^{▼▼ 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.} ^{▼▼ Nothing in the oppression caused this, of course. Rather, the blessing of God (Gen 12:1–3) was on Israel in spite of the efforts of Egypt to hinder it. According to Gen 15 God had foretold that there would be this period of oppression (עָנָה [’anah] in Gen 15:13). In other words, God had decreed and predicted both their becoming a great nation and the oppression to show that he could fulfill his promise to Abraham in spite of the bondage.} As a result the Egyptians loathed ^{▼▼ Heb “they felt a loathing before/because of”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} the Israelites,