The story of the Israelite enslavement in Egypt is one of those. It's a stark reminder of human cruelty, but also a testament to resilience and faith. And at the heart of it is a truly horrific episode: the slaughter of the innocents.
According to Legends of the Jews, Pharaoh wasn't just acting on a whim. He sought advice from Balaam, who, recognizing that God operates on the principle of measure for measure (midah k’neged midah), suggested drowning the male children. The Egyptians believed this was the safest route to exterminating the Hebrews without divine retribution, as God had sworn to Noah never to destroy the world by water again. Clever. Except, as we know, you can't outsmart the Almighty.
Their reasoning was flawed on several levels. First, God's promise was that He wouldn't bring a flood, not that people couldn't bring people into a flood. Furthermore, the oath applied to all mankind, not just a single nation. The consequence? The Egyptians met their own watery end in the Red Sea. Poetic justice, some might say. Again, measure for measure – as they had drowned the Israelite baby boys, so were they drowned.
To ensure his decree was carried out, Pharaoh sent his henchmen into the homes of the Israelites, hunting for newborns. But even that wasn't enough. They devised an even more sinister plan: Egyptian women would bring their babies to Israelite homes under the pretense of a friendly visit. The idea was that when the Egyptian babies cried, the hidden Hebrew infants would instinctively respond, revealing their presence. Can you imagine the fear and paranoia that must have gripped the Israelite community?
And if that wasn't enough, Pharaoh mandated that only Egyptian midwives attend Israelite women, ensuring precise information about delivery times and preventing any male child from escaping alive. The penalty for disobedience? Death for the parents and everyone connected to them.
Understandably, many Hebrew men chose to separate from their wives. Yet, as the story goes, those who remained faithful and trusted in God were not abandoned. When the time came for these women to give birth, they would venture into the fields, deliver their babies alone, and return home, leaving their newborns in the wilderness.
But here’s where the miraculous intervenes. The Lord, remembering His promise to multiply their descendants, sent an angel to care for these abandoned babes. The angel would wash them, anoint them, stretch their limbs, and swaddle them. According to Legends of the Jews, the angel would then give them two smooth pebbles, one yielding milk and the other honey! God even caused their hair to grow long, providing a natural garment.
Then, God commanded the earth to receive the infants, sheltering them until they grew up. The earth would then open, releasing the children, who would sprout like grass in the field. Eventually, each child would return to their family. Talk about divine protection!
The Egyptians, witnessing this inexplicable phenomenon, tried to intervene. They plowed the fields, attempting to harm the hidden children. But their efforts were futile. The earth guarded its precious cargo. Thus, despite Pharaoh's brutal decrees, the people of Israel continued to increase and prosper. And when Pharaoh's officers did manage to seize a male infant, tearing him from his mother's arms to cast him into the river, God's plan was already in motion. As Legends of the Jews reminds us, no matter how cunning human schemes may be, they cannot thwart God's purpose. The child foretold in Pharaoh's dreams, the one destined to challenge his reign, was already being protected, hidden from the king's reach. The stage was set for the arrival of Moses.
This story, though filled with darkness, shines a light on the enduring power of faith, resilience, and the unwavering promise of divine protection. It reminds us that even in the face of unimaginable cruelty, hope can flourish, and that sometimes, the most vulnerable among us are the most fiercely guarded by forces beyond our comprehension. It's a story that stays with you, a reminder of the strength found in the face of adversity, and the enduring promise of redemption.