Exodus 1:7
in Exodus 1but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
KJV
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
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This verse in Exodus 1
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In no province does the population increase so rapidly as in that which was occupied by the Israelites. See the note at Gen 47:6. At present it has more flocks and herds than any province in Egypt, and more fishermen, though many villages are deserted. Until the accession of the new king, the relations between the Egyptians and the Israelites were undoubtedly friendly. The expressions used in this verse imply the lapse of a considerable period after the death of Joseph. The land was filled with them - i. e. the district allotted to them Gen 45:10.
This site's exposition
the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly
Three of the verse's five verbs come from the blessing at Genesis 1:28. The one behind "increased rapidly" is the verb Genesis 1:20 uses of swarming life. A family in a foreign country is carrying out the creation command.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
We have heard in the lesson which was read, dearly beloved, that "when Joseph was dead, the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful and prolific, and they sprang up like grass." What does this mean, brethren? As long as Joseph lived the children of Israel are not …
The Reformation1 voice
For such is the perverseness of men, that they always seek for opportunities of despising or disallowing the works of God; such, too, is their audacity and insolence that they shamelessly apply all the acuteness they possess to detract from his glory.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly - Like fishes or insects, so that they multiplied; and being generally healthful and strong, they waxed exceeding mighty, so that the land was filled with them, at least Goshen, their own allotment. This wonderful increase was the product of the promise long before made to the fathers.
And the children of Israel were fruitful,....
After the death of Christ, our Joseph, his gospel Israel began most remarkably to increase: and his death had an influence upon it; it was like the sowing of a corn of wheat, which, if it die, bringeth forth much fruit, John xii. (2.) This wonderful increase was the fulfillment of the promise long before made unto the fathers.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
children of Israel were fruitful--They were living in a land where, according to the testimony of an ancient author, mothers produced three and four sometimes at a birth; and a modern writer declares "the females in Egypt, as well among the human race as among animals, surpass all others in fruitfulness." To this natural circumstance must be added the fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The children of Israel were fruitful - פרו paru, a general term, signifying that they were like healthy trees, bringing forth an abundance of fruit. And increased - ישרץ yishretsu, they increased like fishes, as the original word implies. See Gen 1:20 (note), and the note there. Abundantly - ירבו yirbu, they multiplied; this is a separate term, and should not have been used as an adverb by our translators. And waxed exceeding mighty - ויעצמו במאד מאד vaiyaatsmu bimod meod, and they became strong beyond measure - superlatively, superlatively - so that the land (Goshen) was filled with them. This astonishing increase was, under the providence of God, chiefly owing to two causes: 1. The Hebrew women were exceedingly fruitful, suffered very little in parturition, and probably often brought forth twins. 2. There appear to have been no premature deaths among them. Thus in about two hundred and fifteen years they were multiplied to upwards of 600,000, independently of old men, women, and children.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבְנֵ֣י | uvenei | and [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| פָּר֧וּ | paru | they were fruitful | H6509 → | |
| וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ | vaiyishretzu | and they swarmed | H8317 → | |
| וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ | vaiyirbu | and they multiplied | H7235 → | 227 times |
| וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּ | vaiyaatzmu | and they became mighty | H6105 → | |
| בִּמְאֹ֣ד | bimod | with muchness | H3966 → | 300 times |
| מְאֹ֑ד | meod | muchness | H3966 → | 300 times |
| וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א | vatimale' | and it was filled | H4390 → | 249 times |
| הָאָ֖רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֹתָֽם׃ פ | ʾotam | with them | H854 → | 929 times |
וּבְנֵ֣יand [the] people of
uveneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
פָּר֧וּthey were fruitful
paruH6509 →
וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּand they swarmed
vaiyishretzuH8317 →
וַיִּרְבּ֥וּand they multiplied
vaiyirbuH7235 →227 times
וַיַּֽעַצְמ֖וּand they became mighty
vaiyaatzmuH6105 →
בִּמְאֹ֣דwith muchness
bimodH3966 →300 times
מְאֹ֑דmuchness
meodH3966 →300 times
וַתִּמָּלֵ֥אand it was filled
vatimale'H4390 →249 times
הָאָ֖רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
אֹתָֽם׃ פwith them
ʾotamH854 →929 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 1:28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature…
it leads to
- Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 9:7
But as for you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out across the earth and multiply upon it.”
- Leviticus 26:9
I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will establish My covenant with you.
- Psalms 128:3–4
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table.
- Genesis 22:17–18
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
- Genesis 9:1
Through
Genesis 35:11And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you.
it leads to
- Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
- Genesis 22:17
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
- Genesis 17:1
Through
Genesis 46:3“I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
it leads to
- Genesis 12:2
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
- Genesis 12:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Exodus
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 94.1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.