Exodus 1:7

“And the children of Israel were fruitful, etc.] In their offspring; became like fruitful trees, as the word signifies: and increased abundantly; like creeping things, or rather like fishes, which increase very much, (see <010120>Genesis 1:20) and multiplied; became very numerous, whereby the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were fulfilled: and waxed exceeding mighty; were hale, and strong, of good constitutions, able bodied men, and so more dreaded by the Egyptians: a heap of words is here used to express the vast increase of the people of Israel in Egypt: and the land was filled with them; not the whole land of Egypt, but the land of Goshen: at first they were seated in a village…”

“children of Israel were fruitful--They were living in a land where, according to the testimony of an ancient author, mothers produced three and four sometimes at a birth; and a modern writer declares "the females in Egypt, as well among the human race as among animals, surpass all others in fruitfulness." To this natural circumstance must be added the fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham.”

“In no province does the population increase so rapidly as in that which was occupied by the Israelites. See the note at Genesis 47:6. At present it has more flocks and herds than any province in Egypt, and more fishermen, though many villages are deserted. Until the accession of the new king, the relations between the Egyptians and the Israelites were undoubtedly friendly. The expressions used in this verse imply the lapse of a considerable period after the death of Joseph. The land was filled with them - i. e. the district allotted to them Genesis 45:10. return to 'Top of Page'”

“And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly - Like fishes or insects, so that they multiplied; and being generally healthful and strong, they waxed exceeding mighty, so that the land was filled with them, at least Goshen, their own allotment. This wonderful increase was the product of the promise long before made to the fathers. From the call of Abraham, when God first told him he would make him a great nation, to the deliverance of his seed out of Egypt, was 430 years; during the first 215 of which, they were increased to 70, but in the latter half, those 70 multiplied to 600,000 fighting men. Exodus 1:8”

“fruitful: Exo 12:37; Gen 1:20, Gen 1:28, Gen 9:1, Gen 12:2, Gen 13:16, Gen 15:5, Gen 17:4-6, Gen 17:16, Gen 22:17, Gen 26:4; Gen 28:3, Gen 28:4, Gen 28:14, Gen 35:11, Gen 46:3, Gen 47:27, Gen 48:4, Gen 48:16; Deu 10:22, Deu 26:5; Neh 9:23; Psa 105:24; Act 7:17, Act 7:18 Exodus 1:8”