New Living Translation
Exodus 1:9
9He said to his people, “Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are.
Exodus 1:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
- New International Version (NIV)“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to his people, "Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we;
Context of Exodus 1:9
7But their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so greatly that they became extremely powerful and filled the land. 8Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. He said to his people, “Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are. 10We must make a plan to keep them from growing even more. If we don’t, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country.” 11So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. They appointed brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down with crushing labor. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king.
Read all of Exodus 1Exodus 1:9 word by word
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֶל־עַמּ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֗ה עַ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רַ֥ב וְעָצ֖וּם מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 1:9
- Numbers 22:4The king of Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass in the field!” So Balak, king of Moab,
- Job 5:2Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple.
- Psalms 105:24And the Lord multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies.
- Proverbs 14:28A growing population is a king’s glory; a prince without subjects has nothing.
- Proverbs 27:4Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
- James 3:14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.
- James 4:5Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.
Commentaries on Exodus 1:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9He said unto his people - He probably summoned a council of his nobles and elders to consider the subject; and the result was to persecute and destroy them, as is afterwards stated.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 The land of Egypt became to Israel a house of bondage. The place where we have been happy, may soon become the place of our affliction; and that may prove the greatest cross to us, of which we said, This same shall comfort us. Cease from man, and say not of any place on this side heaven, This is my rest. All that knew Joseph, loved him, and were kind to his brethren for his sake; but the best and most useful services a man does to others, are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-10From about 1650 to 1550 BC, Semitic invaders ruled northern Egypt, where the Israelites lived. The Egyptians called these rulers "shepherd kings" or Hyksos. Semitic peoples were ancient groups from the Middle East and North Africa, known for their shared languages (such as Hebrew, Aramaic, or Arabic) and cultural traditions. Many scholars think these kings supported the Israelites, who might have allied with them. Egypt finally expelled the invaders…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-109-10. he said ... Behold, the ... children of Israel are more and mightier than we--They had risen to great prosperity--as during the lifetime of Joseph and his royal patron, they had, probably, enjoyed a free grant of the land. Their increase and prosperity were viewed with jealousy by the new government; and as Goshen lay between Egypt and Canaan, on the border of which latter country were a number of warlike tribes, it was perfectly conformable to the…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 1:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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