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Exodus 1:22 - Pharaoh's cruel decree: drown boys?

Exodus 1:22 - שמות 1:22

Hebrew Text

וַיְצַו פַּרְעֹה לְכָל־עַמּוֹ לֵאמֹר כָּל־הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ וְכָל־הַבַּת תְּחַיּוּן׃

English Translation

And Par῾o charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born you shall cast into the River, and every daughter you shall save alive.

Transliteration

Vayetzav Paro lechol amo lemor kol haben hayilod hayora tashlichuhu vechol habat techayun.

Hebrew Leining Text

וַיְצַ֣ו פַּרְעֹ֔ה לְכׇל־עַמּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר כׇּל־הַבֵּ֣ן הַיִּלּ֗וֹד הַיְאֹ֙רָה֙ תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ וְכׇל־הַבַּ֖ת תְּחַיּֽוּן׃ <span class="mam-spi-pe">{פ}</span><br>
וַיְצַ֣ו פַּרְעֹ֔ה לְכׇל־עַמּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר כׇּל־הַבֵּ֣ן הַיִּלּ֗וֹד הַיְאֹ֙רָה֙ תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ וְכׇל־הַבַּ֖ת תְּחַיּֽוּן׃ {פ}

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Parasha Commentary

Pharaoh's Decree and Its Context

The verse (Shemot 1:22) describes Pharaoh's decree to kill all newborn Israelite boys by casting them into the Nile River while sparing the girls. Rashi explains that Pharaoh initially sought to curb the growth of Bnei Yisrael through oppressive labor (Shemot 1:11-14), but when this failed, he resorted to infanticide. The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 1:18) adds that Pharaoh's astrologers foresaw the birth of a savior for Israel, prompting this extreme measure.

Why the Nile River?

Several commentaries address Pharaoh's choice of the Nile:

  • Rashi notes that the Nile was worshipped as a deity in Egypt. Pharaoh believed drowning the boys would appease the Nile god while avoiding direct bloodshed that might provoke divine retribution.
  • Sforno suggests the Nile was chosen to conceal the murders, as bodies would be carried away by the current.
  • The Midrash Tanchuma (Shemot 5) teaches that Pharaoh sought to nullify Yosef's earlier merit of providing grain during famine (linked to water/nourishment) by using water as an instrument of death.

Theological Implications

The Rambam (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 1:1-2) uses this episode to illustrate how ancient rulers often employed idolatrous logic—here, sacrificing children to a river deity. The Kli Yakar observes that Pharaoh's decree specifically targeted males because they posed a military threat, while females could be assimilated into Egyptian society through marriage.

Divine Irony

The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 1:24) highlights the divine irony: Pharaoh sought to destroy Israel through water, yet Moshe—the future savior—would be drawn from water (Shemot 2:10). This echoes the principle of "middah k'neged middah" (measure for measure), a recurring theme in Tanach where the means of intended harm becomes the vehicle for redemption.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Sotah 11b
The verse is referenced in the discussion of Pharaoh's decree to kill the male Hebrew babies, illustrating the cruelty of the Egyptians and the context of Moses' birth.
📖 Megillah 14a
Mentioned in the context of discussing the hardships faced by the Israelites in Egypt, particularly focusing on the persecution of male infants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did Pharaoh command to kill all the baby boys?
A: According to Rashi and Midrashic sources, Pharaoh was afraid of the growing Israelite population in Egypt. He had heard a prophecy that a savior would arise from the Israelites who would overthrow him (Shemot Rabbah 1:18). By killing all male babies, he hoped to prevent this prophecy from coming true.
Q: Why did Pharaoh specify to throw the babies into the Nile River?
A: The Midrash explains that Pharaoh chose the Nile because it was worshipped as a god in Egypt (Shemot Rabbah 1:21). By using their own deity to kill the Israelite boys, he thought he was invoking divine power against them. Additionally, the Nile's water was considered pure, so he believed this method wouldn't be seen as murder.
Q: Why were the girls allowed to live?
A: Traditional Jewish sources offer several explanations: 1) Pharaoh thought only a male could be the potential savior (Shemot Rabbah 1:18), 2) He wanted the girls to marry Egyptian men and assimilate the Israelites (Rashi on Exodus 1:10), and 3) Women were valued as domestic workers in Egyptian society (Talmud Sotah 11b).
Q: How did the Israelite mothers protect their babies from this decree?
A: The Midrash describes how righteous Israelite women continued having children despite the decree, trusting in Hashem (Sotah 11b). Some hid their pregnancies and babies, while others were miraculously protected - as in the case of Moshe's mother who placed him in a basket on the Nile when she could no longer hide him (Exodus 2:1-3).
Q: What lesson can we learn from this verse today?
A: This teaches us about Jewish resilience in the face of persecution and Hashem's hidden protection. Despite Pharaoh's cruel decree, the Jewish people continued to multiply (Exodus 1:20). The Talmud (Sotah 11b) credits the righteous women of that generation for maintaining Jewish continuity through their faith and courage.