In Exodus chapter one, verse eight, A new king Pharaoh arose in Egypt who “did not know Joseph.” The implication is that previous Pharaoh respected Joseph’s role in saving their nation, while this new ruler had no knowledge nor concern for this history. Whoever this specific ruler was, he saw the Hebrew people as a threat to Egyptian rule. The Egyptians had recently struggled against a people group and focused on establishing a greater nationalism. His standard was oppressive and violent, leading to God’s intervention among the Hebrews and the midwives who served among them.
The time gap between the death of Joseph and the beginning of Israel’s persecution by the Egyptians was approximately two hundred and twenty years. Pharaoh describes a growing problem to his Egyptian people. This problem involves two specific areas. First, he notes that Israelite numbers had grown from seventy to somewhere possibly in the million or nearly two million. Israel would continue to grow despite oppression: as Pharoah afflicts them more, they proceed to multiply.
Second, Egypt’s king worries the Israelites are “too mighty for us.” Based on numbers alone, he is also concerned the Israelites could form an army and defeat the Egyptians in a time of war. Or could be convinced to join the enemies of the Egyptians to beat them in an invasion. The resolution the King of Egypt attempted was to force labor.
The enslaved Israelites account for building two cities, Pithom and Raamses. Both cities were south of the capital of Zoan along tributaries of the Nile River leading to the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea. They were known as store cities. Though the exact meaning of “store cities” is uncertain, it is clear these cities were supply areas used by the Egyptians. They may have served as a continuation of Joseph’s food storage efforts from the seven years of plenty when all Egyptians began the tradition of storing part of their grain.
The new Pharoah did not know Joseph. The situation can relate to someone evil, not understanding the good that can come from within a person. This new Pharoah only knows to take and not give. While Joseph knew how to contribute through the love that God creates in a person’s heart, the King of Egypt demonstrates hate on his part. Right does not know wrong and vice versa.