Exodus 1:8
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Exodus 1:8
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights how a new ruler, perhaps from a different dynasty, was ignorant of Joseph's past contributions. This ignorance wasn't just a lack of personal acquaintance, but a disregard for the significant benefits Joseph brought to Egypt, leading to a profound shift in how the Israelites were treated.
After a long period of peace and prosperity for Joseph's family in Egypt, a new king came to power who didn't acknowledge the past benefits Joseph had provided. This king, likely from a new dynasty and perhaps ignorant of Joseph's history, saw the growing Israelite population not as guests but as a potential threat that needed to be controlled. Fearing they might multiply and cause trouble or ally with enemies, he initiated a policy of oppression, forcing them into hard labor to build cities and drain their strength.
Sometimes, the people who benefit most from our kindness are the first to forget. What happens when a nation’s leadership forgets a history of immense service?
This verse marks a critical turning point. For over a century, the Israelites had lived in Egypt, protected and prospered, largely due to Joseph's influence and the goodwill it generated. The 'new king' represents a shift.
A Political Reset
The verse says the king 'did not know Joseph.' But did he literally not know who Joseph was? What does this 'knowing' really mean in a biblical sense?
The Hebrew word for 'know' (yada) here goes deeper than just factual recognition. It implies a profound understanding, acknowledgment, and appreciation of someone's significance and the benefits they provided.
More Than Just a Name
Understand the original words
melek · Hebrew Noun
A title for a monarch, often implying absolute rule; in this context, it refers to the sovereign power of Egypt who exercised authority over both his own people and the enslaved Israelites.
yada' · Hebrew Verb
In this context, it implies more than mere intellectual awareness; it denotes a lack of recognition of the covenantal favor, historical alliance, or the divine blessing associated with Joseph's role in Egypt.
The 'new king' didn't just forget Joseph; his rise to power likely represented a shift in Egyptian policy and national identity after expelling foreign rulers, making him suspicious of and unwilling to honor past arrangements with a foreign group like the Israelites.
c. 1700-1600 BC
Expulsion of the Hyksos
Native Egyptian rulers, likely from Thebes, expelled the foreign Hyksos rulers (often called the 'Shepherd Kings') who had controlled Lower Egypt for centuries. This marked a significant shift in Egyptian power and identity, potentially leading to a more xenophobic outlook.
c. 1550-1290 BC
New Kingdom Expansion and Power
Following the expulsion of the Hyksos, Egypt entered its most powerful era, the New Kingdom. This period saw immense building projects, military campaigns, and a strong sense of national pride, which could have contributed to a desire to suppress foreign populations.
c. 14th-13th century BC— this verse
Reign of New Dynasty Pharaohs
The verse likely refers to a Pharaoh from a new dynasty, such as the 19th Dynasty (founded by Ramesses I or Seti I), who did not have a personal or historical connection to Joseph's era and the privileges granted to the Israelites.
c. 13th century BC
Forced Labor and City Building
This verse directly contrasts with Exodus 1:8, highlighting how Joseph's actions were intended for good, even when facing evil intentions, underscoring the theme of good intentions being forgotten or twisted by new leadership.
Romans 9:16This passage speaks to God's sovereign will in choosing individuals, which resonates with how Pharaoh's 'choice' to forget Joseph and oppress the Israelites reflects a broader divine plan, even when human actions are driven by malice.
Psalm 106:1The psalm calls to remember God's steadfast love, contrasting with Pharaoh's deliberate forgetting of Joseph's past kindness, illustrating the recurring biblical theme of human unfaithfulness versus divine faithfulness.
Matthew 25:40Jesus states that whatever we do for the least of his brothers, we do for him, implying that forgetting or mistreating God's people, like Pharaoh forgetting Joseph's people, has eternal consequences.
Acts 7:18This New Testament reference echoes the Exodus account, stating 'another king arose, who did not know Joseph,' reinforcing the historical continuity of this specific event and its significance in the larger narrative of God's people.
calvinExodus 1:8-11: "Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph."
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and right against us, and so get them up out of the land.
Agedum, prudenter nos geramus erga illum, ne multiplicetur; ne accidat, si obvenerit bellum, jungatur ipse quoque hostibus nostris, et pugnet contra nos, ascendatque e terra.
Therefore they did…
clarkeExodus 1:8: "Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph."
There arose up a new king - Who this was it is difficult to say. It was probably Ramesses Miamun, or his son Amenophis, who succeeded him in the government of Egypt about A. M. 2400, before Christ 1604. Which knew not Joseph - The verb ידע yada, which we translate to know, often signifies to acknowledge or approve. See Judges 2:10; Psalm 1:6; Psalm 31:7; Hosea 2:8; Amos 3:2. The Greek verbs ειδω and γινωσκω are used…
The verse highlights how a new ruler, perhaps from a different dynasty, was ignorant of Joseph's past contributions. This ignorance wasn't just a lack of personal acquaintance, but a disregard for the significant benefits Joseph brought to Egypt, leading to a profound shift in how the Israelites were treated.
After a long period of peace and prosperity for Joseph's family in Egypt, a new king came to power who didn't acknowledge the past benefits Joseph had provided. This king, likely from a new dynasty and perhaps ignorant of Joseph's history, saw the growing Israelite population not as guests but as a potential threat that needed to be controlled. Fearing they might multiply and cause trouble or ally with enemies, he initiated a policy of oppression, forcing them into hard labor to build cities and drain their strength.
After a long period of peace and prosperity for Joseph's family in Egypt, a new king came to power who didn't acknowledge the past benefits Joseph had provided. This king, likely from a new dynasty and perhaps ignorant of Joseph's history, saw the growing Israelite population not as guests but as a potential threat that needed to be controlled. Fearing they might multiply and cause trouble or ally with enemies, he initiated a policy of oppression, forcing them into hard labor to build cities and drain their strength.
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In response to fears of the growing Israelite population, Pharaoh imposed harsh forced labor, specifically tasking them with building the store cities of Pithom and Raamses. This indicates a deliberate policy to oppress and control the Israelites.
"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph." — The verse highlights how a new ruler, perhaps from a different dynasty, was ignorant of Joseph's past contributions. This ignorance wasn't just a lack of personal acquaintance, but a disregard for th…