Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had taken his family to Egypt to escape a famine. After four hundred years, his descendants had multiplied greatly. A new king of Egypt arose, and because he was concerned about their numbers, he subjected the Israelites to cruel slavery.

Exodus 1 and 2 give an account of this development, of the birth and life of Moses, and of the people’s cry to God for deliverance. God heard their cry and sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt.