Sojourn in Egypt and Enslavement

Historical Transition and Settlement in Egypt
The period following Jacob’s migration to Egypt marks a significant shift from the patriarchal era to the emergence of Israel as a distinct ethnic group. The relocation of Jacob and his household to Egypt, as narrated in Genesis 46, occurred under favourable conditions due to Joseph’s elevated status as a high-ranking official in Pharaoh’s court. Settling in the land of Goshen, the Israelites enjoyed initial prosperity and demographic expansion. This period of peace, however, would gradually transition into a time of severe oppression.

Demographic Growth and Perceived Threat
Exodus 1 describes the dramatic increase in the number of Israelites during their extended residence in Egypt. The text states that “the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly” (Exodus 1:7), fulfilling God’s earlier promise to make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). However, this population boom became a source of fear for a later Pharaoh who “did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). The change in political leadership marked a turning point, as the new regime perceived the growing Hebrew population as a potential internal threat to national security.

Imposition of Slavery and Oppression
In response to this perceived threat, the Egyptians imposed harsh measures on the Israelites, transforming them from welcome guests into an enslaved labour force. The Pharaoh subjected them to forced labour, utilising their manpower to construct supply cities such as Pithom and Rameses. The narrative emphasises both the severity and the systemic nature of the oppression, which included physical brutality, social dehumanisation, and legal marginalisation. Theologically, this enslavement reflects the broader biblical motif of suffering preceding redemption, a theme that recurs throughout Scripture.

Spiritual Identity in Crisis
While the Israelites retained their distinct ethnic and familial identity, the experience of enslavement deeply challenged their communal and spiritual consciousness. Living under a pagan regime, their connection to the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would have been increasingly difficult to maintain. Nevertheless, the text implies a collective memory of the covenant, preserved through oral tradition and community practice. Their cry for deliverance (Exodus 2:23–25) reflects not only physical desperation but a reawakening of covenantal awareness, prompting divine intervention.

Theological Implications
The period of enslavement in Egypt is crucial for understanding Israel’s theological self-conception. It solidifies the identity of the Israelites not merely as descendants of the patriarchs but as a people formed through suffering and awaiting divine deliverance. This suffering would later become the foundation for ethical instruction in the Mosaic Law, particularly in commands regarding compassion for the stranger and the oppressed: “You were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:34). Furthermore, Egypt becomes a lasting biblical symbol of oppression and worldliness, against which God’s redemptive acts are contrasted.

Conclusion
The sojourn in Egypt begins as a chapter of divine provision and preservation but develops into a prolonged period of systemic enslavement. This phase serves as the crucible in which Israel’s national identity is forged, transforming a family into a multitude, and setting the stage for the dramatic intervention of God through the Exodus. It is within the depths of oppression that the cry of the covenant people reaches heaven, and the redemptive narrative begins to unfold with renewed intensity and purpose.