According to the translation of Machon Mamre to Shmot / Exodus 2:23 the Torah states: “And it came to pass in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage”.
“And the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed” (Exodus 2:23)
The B’chor Shor explains:
“When that king was alive, they [the Israelites] hoped that when he died, his decrees would be annulled. But when he died and his decrees were not canceled, they said, ‘Now there is no end to this suffering; we will never escape this hardship.’
Some commentators explain that when the king of Egypt died, Moshe could have returned, as Hashem had said, ‘For all the men are dead’ (Exodus 4:19). Also, the Israelites sighed, and Hashem heard their sighing, had mercy on His children, and remembered the covenant He had made with their forefathers. He desired to fulfill His promise to them and to repay the vow He made to give them the land of Canaan. All of these events led to the sending of Moshe, and now the text will explain how Moshe was sent.”
Biography
Rav Yosef Bechor Shor (Rivash) was apparently the twelfth century Baal HaTosafot Rav Yosef ben Rav Yitzchak of Orleans, France. He was a student of Rabbeinu Tam, and was known primarily for his commentary on the Torah which closely follows the simple interpretation. He is cited on several occasions by the Tosafot commentary on the Talmud. He also authored Selichot and Piyutim. Several volumes of his Bechor Shor commentary on the Torah were printed based on a single surviving manuscript. The Bar-Ilan Responsa Project includes Yehoshafat Nevo’s revised version, published by Mosad HaRav Kook, Jerusalem 5754 (1994).