#6 – Exodus 2:23-25
Who Hears When We Cry?
Crying and Hearing
“Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died.”[1] Good news for Moses, perhaps, but he’s long miles away and unaffected by Pharaoh’s death. Will the change in regime mean better treatment[2] for the suffering Hebrews?
Sadly, no. “And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out . . . .”[3] What human being cannot relate to sighing and crying when life gets really tough? And remains rough over years?
The text continues:
…and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to G-d.
So G-d heard their groaning; and G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
G-d saw the sons of Israel, and G-d took notice of them. (Exodus 2:23-25)
We note that while the text does not specifically state the Israelites cried out to the L-RD,[4] their cry rose up to Him. Every year in the Passover Haggadah we are reminded of this text. Emphasis is placed on the Almighty’s actions: G-d heard, G-d remembered, G-d saw, and G-d took notice.
Fear factor/Misery index:
The Hebrews’ longsuffering situation remains unchanged. “Sighing,” “crying,” and “groaning” define the very human response to intense and prolonged suffering. Daily life is miserable, and with the baby boys all being murdered what hope is there for the future of Jewish people? How difficult must it have been to cling to the strong promises God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in those dark days, with no relief in sight.
Where is G-d?
Now, however, our narrator pulls back the veil of heaven to show us that G-d is attentive to His people’s needs. He actively listens, sees, and pays attention. And indeed He does remember His covenant with the Patriarchs. This is a great reminder to us that G-d’s silence or seeming inaction does not indicate He is unaware or doesn’t care. We easily grow impatient – like a child who daily digs up a newly planted seed, wondering why it doesn’t sprout. It’s good to be reminded of the character of our Creator revealed in such passages as Psalm 34:
The eyes of the L-RD are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
The face of the L-RD is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the L-RD hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The L-RD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:15-18)
[1] Exodus 2:23a. When a king dies, old enmities usually die with him, and former fugitives may feel the liberty to return home. We see a parallel to this when Joseph, adoptive father of Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth), returns to Israel with his family after Herod’s death (Matthew 2:19-20).
[2] As one example of hope for improved conditions with a new administration, when King Solomon died the citizens of Israel appealed to his son Rehoboam for tax relief. Rather than reducing taxes the new king chose to listen to his younger advisers and increase the levies. The tax revolt that ensued split the kingdom in two. (See 1 Kings 12.)
[3] Exodus 2:23b.
[4] On at least three occasions (8:12, 15:25, 17:4) Moses cries out “to the L-RD,” as do the Hebrews when pursued by Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea (14:10).
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