Literary Devices – Shemot 1

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Structure of Chapter 1

Chapter 1 may be divided into an introduction describing the development of the Israelite nation (1:1–7) and a main scene, "Evil Decrees" (1:8–22). For more on the structural units of the chapter and their relationship, see Structure.

Chiastic Structure – 1:1–7

The introduction (verses 1–7) can be subdivided into verses 1–5 which repeat events already told in Sefer Bereshit and verses 6–7 which move the reader to the upcoming story of Sefer Shemot. The two subunits taken together form a chiastic structure, highlighting the closing of a circle and the transition from one generation to the next.

Keywords

Three Septuplets

U. CassutoShemot 1:7Shemot 1:14Shemot 1:21About Prof. U. Cassuto notes that the introduction and the two subsections of the main body of the chapter1 each contain a group of words which appear seven times. These keywords highlight the main themes of each section.2

  • Israel's growth rate – In verse 7, seven terms3 are used to denote Israel's fertility: "פָּרוּ‎", "וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ‎", "וַיִּרְבּוּ‎", "וַיַּעַצְמוּ‎", "בִּמְאֹד‎", "מְאֹד", and "וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֹתָם‎".4
  • Hard work – In verses 8–14 the roots "עבד" and "פרך" appear a total of seven times (vss. 13–14)5 as Paroh reacts to the proliferation of the nation by enslaving them.
  • Midwives – Verses 9–15 speak of the next stage in Paroh's plan, asking the midwives to kill the Israelite baby boys, and therefore the term "מילדת" (in singular or plural) appears seven times.6

רַב וְעָצוּם (numerous and mighty)

Paroh's inability to curb the Israelite population explosion is the main subject of the chapter, and thus "רַב וְעָצוּם"‎ is mentioned three times (1:7, 9, 20).7 The term "יִרְבֶּה" is mentioned in another two places, "פֶּן יִרְבֶּה" (v. 10), and "כֵּן יִרְבֶּה" (v. 12). The similarity between these phrases emphasizes how Hashem foiled Paroh's plans. – see Slavery in Stages.

חיה

The root חיה appears 5 times in the last 7 verses of the chapter.8 It, too, emphasizes the failure of Paroh's plan. Although Paroh attempted to kill the Israelites, the nation remained full of life.

ראה and ירא

U. CassutoShemot 1:17About Prof. U. Cassuto notes a play on words in verses 16, 17, and 21. Paroh requested the Midwives to see ("וּרְאִיתֶן"), but instead they were afraid of Hashem ("וַתִּירֶאןָ" and "יָרְאוּ"), see Yirat Elohim.

Character Titles

Chapter 1 refers to each of the children of Yaakov, the nation of Israel, Paroh and God by various names. In some instances, these variations reflect a fundamental difference of meaning, while in others they may serve a purely literary function.9

Yaakov's Children

Chapter 1 refers to Yaakov's children in four different ways:

  • "בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" ("Children of Israel") – 1:1, perhaps 1:7.10 In speaking about the sons of Yaakov as an entire group, the general term, Children of Israel, is used.
  • "רְאוּבֵן שִׁמְעוֹן…" (proper names of the sons) – 1:2–4. Though not all 70 descendants of Yaakov are listed by name (as they have already been recorded in Bereshit 46), Yaakov's actual sons merit repeated individual mention. See Lists of Twelve Tribes for a discussion of how this list compares to other similar ones.
  • "יֹצְאֵי יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב" (Yaakov's descendants, lit. "the ones who came from Yaakov's thigh")11 – 1:5. This verse refer not only to Yaakov's twelve children, but rather to all seventy of his offspring who entered Egypt. Therefore, the more inclusive term "יֹצְאֵי יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב" is used here.12
  • "יוֹסֵף וְכָל אֶחָיו" ("Yosef and his brothers") –1:6. In this verse we are told of Yosef and his brothers' death to explain the backdrop of the slavery. As Yosef's death is the key factor, all the other brothers are referred to in relationship to him.

Israel13

The names used:

  • "בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" ("Children of Israel") – 1:7,14 12, 13. This is the default name used.
  • "עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" ("nation of the Children of Israel") – 1:9. This is the only place this phrase appears.15 The word "עַם" is used here to emphasize that the term "בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" no longer means Yaakov's sons,16 but rather the entire Israelite nation. In addition, Paroh might be emphasizing the Israelite Problem by showing that the conflict is between two nations,17 and not only with a small family.18
  • "עִבְרִיֹּת‎"19 ("Hebrews," here found in the feminine) – 1:15, 16, 19. After the slavery began, Paroh started using the derogatory term "עברי" to refer to the Jews.20

Paroh

God

  • In our chapter God is referred to exclusively as אֱ-לֹהִים, (Elohim, 1:17, 21), His generic name.21 In both cases, the context is the midwives' "fear of God." If one maintains that the midwives were Egyptian, it is logical that the universal name Elohim is used – see Who Are the Midwives and Yirat Elohim.22
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