After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. After a long time, the king of Egypt died.This phrase indicates a significant passage of time since the events of Exodus 1, where the Israelites were first subjected to harsh slavery. The death of the Pharaoh marks a potential turning point in the narrative, as it often did in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where a change in leadership could lead to shifts in policy or treatment of subjugated peoples. Historically, the identity of this Pharaoh is debated, but it is generally placed within the New Kingdom period of Egypt, possibly during the reigns of Thutmose III or Ramses II. The death of a king could also symbolize the end of an era of oppression, setting the stage for divine intervention. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. Persons / Places / Events 1. King of EgyptThe Pharaoh who had enslaved the Israelites. His death marks a significant turning point in the account. 2. Israelites The descendants of Jacob, living in Egypt under harsh slavery, longing for deliverance. 3. Egypt The land where the Israelites were enslaved, representing a place of oppression and suffering. 4. Bondage The state of slavery and oppression experienced by the Israelites, prompting their cries to God. 5. God The Almighty who hears the cries of His people and is about to act on their behalf. Teaching Points God Hears Our CriesJust as God heard the Israelites, He hears our cries today. We can be assured that our prayers and pleas do not go unnoticed by Him. The Timing of God The Israelites waited a long time for deliverance. God's timing is perfect, even when it seems delayed to us. Trust in His timing and plan. The Role of Suffering Suffering can lead us to a deeper dependence on God. The Israelites' bondage led them to cry out to God, which initiated their deliverance. Hope in Oppression Even in the darkest times, there is hope. The Israelites' situation seemed hopeless, yet God was preparing their deliverance. God's Faithfulness to His Promises God had promised deliverance to Abraham, and He was faithful to fulfill it. We can trust in God's promises to us today. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the death of the Pharaoh signify a change in the account for the Israelites, and what does this teach us about God's timing?2. In what ways can we relate the Israelites' cries for help to our own experiences of calling out to God in times of distress? 3. How does understanding God's response to the Israelites' cries in Exodus 3:7-10 encourage us in our prayer life? 4. What can we learn from the Israelites' experience about maintaining hope and faith during prolonged periods of suffering? 5. How do the themes of bondage and deliverance in Exodus 2:23 connect to the New Testament understanding of spiritual freedom in Christ? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 15:13-14God's prophecy to Abraham about his descendants being enslaved and mistreated in a foreign land, which sets the stage for the events in Exodus. Exodus 3:7-10 God's response to the cries of the Israelites, where He reveals His plan to deliver them through Moses. Psalm 34:17 The assurance that God hears the cries of the righteous and delivers them from their troubles. James 5:4 The cries of the oppressed reaching the ears of the Lord, emphasizing God's awareness and justice. Revelation 6:10 The cries of the martyrs for justice, paralleling the Israelites' cries for deliverance.
People Gershom, Isaac, Israelites, Jacob, Levi, Moses, Pharaoh, Reuel, ZipporahPlaces Egypt, Midian, Nile RiverTopics Ascended, Bondage, Course, Cried, Cry, Crying, Died, Dieth, During, Ears, Egypt, Grief, Groaned, Israelites, Pass, Period, Process, Reason, Rose, Service, Sigh, Sighed, Slavery, Sons, WeightDictionary of Bible Themes Exodus 2:23 5230 beggars 5522 servants, work conditions 5078 Abraham, significance Library The Ark among the Flags'And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 4. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5. And the daughter of Pharaoh came … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Home as a Stewardship. The Upbringing of Jewish Children The Secret of Its Greatness Motives to Holy Mourning The Faith of Moses. Jesus Sets Out from Judæa for Galilee. Consolations against Impatience in Sickness. Man's Misery by the Fall Genealogy According to Luke. Adoption Appendix xii. The Baptism of Proselytes Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology. John the Baptist's Person and Preaching. Exodus Links Exodus 2:23 NIVExodus 2:23 NLT Exodus 2:23 ESV Exodus 2:23 NASB Exodus 2:23 KJV Exodus 2:23 Commentaries Bible Hub |