Exodus 6:15
And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon. And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.
Exodus means the going out, referring to the departure of Israel from Egypt. The verse stands in the first, mainly historical division of the book, covering chapters 1 to 18. Within that history it stands in the story told in chapters 1 to 12 of God's call to the kingdoms of earth. More narrowly, it stands in chapters 5 to 10, which tell of the interviews with Pharaoh, the contest with his magicians, and the infliction of the plagues.
The setting is three and one-half millenniums ago, when Egypt ruled the world as the greatest of the kingdoms of earth. It was acknowledged for might and power and skill and wisdom in statecraft, enriched by the annual overflow of its river which it deified as a god. It worshiped the sun which joined with the river in producing food and from whom its kings received title as representative of the sun-god upon the throne of men.
The verse belongs to the detailed story of Israel's great deliverance from bitter bondage and oppression after growing more and mightier than the Egyptians. It shows how the family comfortably settled in Egypt became a nation with thorough organization, efficient leadership, a complete code of laws, and an established form of worship. It belongs to the opening of that deliverance, when Israel was in oppression and bondage with the whole power of Egypt set against them. This stands in contrast to the closing song of triumph on the farther side of the Red Sea with the host of Egypt overthrown, showing God's mighty work in saving them by creative power manifested over again, such work as was never done in the saving of any nation.
That record of wonderful deliverance from Egypt and again at the Red Sea demonstrated His wisdom, love, and power, His ability and right to rule, and Israel's obligation to obey. After which they had to be tested and tried to prove whether they would walk in His law or not. It is part of the account of Israel in Egypt recalled as the setting of the deliverance from Egyptian bondage.