And there they became a great nation – this indicates that the Israelites were distinguishable there: How did they become distinguishable from the Egyptians? According to the Midrash, they did not adopt the Egyptian language or the Egyptian way of dress.¹³⁵ It is my opinion that the children looked exactly like their fathers, thus the Egyptians could not say that they ruled over their women. We find another example of this idea: “Abraham begot Isaac.” ¹³⁶ This can help us understand the verse, “I let you grow as numerous as the plants of the field…and you came in herds.”¹³⁷ 11b and not according to its literal meaning. According to the Talmud, after seducing their husbands the women gave birth in the field where the children were hidden until they were old enough to return to their family. Miraculously, every child knew his parents. One might argue that there was confusion, and the children did not return to the correct parents. A further miracle happened – since the children resembled their fathers, one knew that the parents and children were reunited. In this way the scoffers could not claim that the wrong parents were raising children.

footnotes: ¹³⁵ Mekhilta Parshat Bo, chapter 9 ¹³⁶ Genesis 25:9 The commentaries explain that people might have claimed that Abraham was not the natural father of Isaac since he was so old – therefore God made Isaac look exactly like his father. ¹³⁷ Ezekiel 16:7 I have translated this verse as it is understood in BT, Sotah

And mighty – the Israelites were fertile and prolific, multiplied and increased greatly: Prior to Pharaoh’s decree, the Israelites gave birth to their children openly so that the entire land was filled with young children. Every Israelite woman gave birth to sextuplets. According to the Midrash, every woman gave birth to twelve children at a time. ¹³⁸ This may be the source of the statement, “This is my God and I will praise Him.”¹³⁹ With the birth of twelve children, they were reminded of Jacob who had twelve sons. Normally when one gives birth to twins, the children are not as strong or as large as single births. Also generally a woman is weakened after giving birth for at least 24 months, especially when she gives birth to twins because of all the nursing she must do. This was not so in Egypt; the mother and the children were strong and resilient. It is for this reason that the verse in Exodus uses double language: b’mi’od mi’od, “greatly, greatly.” Both the mother and the children were strong! And the land was filled with them: Immediately upon birth, the children were strong and they were running around!

footnotes: ¹³⁸ Exodus Rabbah, 1:7 ¹³⁹ Exodus 15:2