Exodus 1:12

New English Translation

¹²But the more the Egyptians^[a] oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread.^[b] As a result the Egyptians loathed^[c] the Israelites,

Exodus 1:12 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Exodus 1:12 tn The imperfect tenses in this verse are customary uses, expressing continual action in past time (see GKC 315 §107.e). For other examples of כַּאֲשֶׁר (kaʾasher) with כֵּן (ken) expressing a comparison (“just as…so”) see Gen 41:13; Judg 1:7; Isa 31:4.sn Nothing in the oppression caused this, of course. Rather, the blessing of God (Gen 12:1-3) was on Israel in spite of the efforts of Egypt to hinder it. According to Gen 15 God had foretold that there would be this period of oppression (עָנָה [ʿanah] in Gen 15:13). In other words, God had decreed and predicted both their becoming a great nation and the oppression to show that he could fulfill his promise to Abraham in spite of the bondage.
Exodus 1:12 tn Heb “they felt a loathing before/because of”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

Exodus 1:12

New International Version

¹²But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites

¹²But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

New English Translation (NET)

New International Version (NIV)