Komentaryo sa Exodo 1:12: Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Rashbam & Or HaChaim

וכאשר יענו אתו AND AS THEY AFFLICTED THEM — In whatsoever matter it was that they set their hearts upon afflicting them so was the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, set upon multiplying them and making them grow apace.

1} When they afflicted them--despite the affliction, the people continued to increase as they had before.

כן ירבה; the measures the Egyptians took to slow down the Jewish birthrate not only did not work but backfired.

כן ירבה signifies: so they multiplied and so they grew apace (i. e. God’s determination was carried out, the imperfect tenses of the verbs denoting the continuance of the increase and growth). This is the real meaning; but there is a Midrashic explanation of these imperfect tenses: The Holy spirit (God) said this: You say פן ירבה, “lest they increase”, but “I” say כן ירבה, “thus will they assuredly increase” (Sotah 11a).