Life was good... for a while.
Initially, the Egyptians welcomed Jacob and his family with open arms. Joseph, after all, had saved their entire kingdom from famine! But as time passed, things started to sour. The Egyptians, initially grateful, began to resent the Israelites.
What was the first sign of trouble? According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, it started subtly. The Egyptians began to take away the Israelites' fields, their vineyards, and even the gifts that Joseph himself had sent to his brethren. Imagine the sting of that betrayal. It wasn't enough to just forget the past; they had to actively take away what had been given!
But why? What fueled this animosity? Envy and fear, plain and simple. The Israelites had grown exponentially. Remember when Jacob arrived with just seventy souls? By this point, they numbered a staggering six hundred thousand! That's a lot of people. And not just a lot of people, but strong, capable people. Their physical strength and heroism were, understandably, alarming to the Egyptians.
Think about it from their perspective. A rapidly growing, powerful group living within your borders. It’s a recipe for unease, isn’t it?
There were plenty of opportunities for the Israelites to demonstrate their strength in those days. One pivotal moment came with the death of the Egyptian king Magron. Magron, raised by Joseph, still held some gratitude in his heart for the benefits Joseph and his family had brought to Egypt. He remembered.
But his son and successor, Malol? Well, Malol, along with his entire court, "knew not the sons of Jacob and their achievements," as Ginzberg puts it. They didn’t care about the past. They didn't feel any obligation. And they certainly didn't hesitate to oppress the Hebrews.
So, the stage was set. The seeds of oppression were sown. The Israelites, once welcomed guests, were now seen as a threat. It's a classic story, isn’t it? Gratitude forgotten, replaced by fear and resentment. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, how often we repeat these patterns throughout history? How often do we forget the good that others have done for us, allowing fear to cloud our judgment and lead us down a path of injustice?