7:17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, 1 the people increased greatly in number 2 in Egypt, 7:18 until another king who did not know about 3 Joseph ruled 4 over Egypt. 5 7:19 This was the one who exploited 6 our people 7 and was cruel to our ancestors, 8 forcing them to abandon 9 their infants so they would die. 10
1 tn Grk “But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near that God had declared to Abraham.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to improve English style. See vv. 6-7 above.
2 tn Grk “the people increased and multiplied.”
3 tn Or simply “did not know.” However, in this context the point is that the new king knew nothing about Joseph, not whether he had known him personally (which is the way “did not know Joseph” could be understood).
4 tn Grk “arose,” but in this context it clearly refers to a king assuming power.
5 sn A quotation from Exod 1:8.
6 tn According to L&N 88.147 it is also possible to translate κατασοφισάμενος (katasofisameno") as “took advantage by clever words” or “persuaded by sweet talk.”
7 tn Or “race.”
8 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
9 tn Or “expose” (BDAG 303 s.v. ἔκθετος).
10 tn Grk “so that they could not be kept alive,” but in this context the phrase may be translated either “so that they would not continue to live,” or “so that they would die” (L&N 23.89).