Exodus 1

1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt (every man and his household who came with Jacob):

These are the names of the children of Israel, that went into Egypt with Jacob: they went in, every man with his household:

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin,

4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

Dan, and Nephtali, Gad and Aser.

5 And all the souls who came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls. And Joseph was in Egypt already.

And all the souls that came out of Jacob’s thigh, were seventy: but Joseph was in Egypt.

6 And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.

After he was dead, and all his brethren, and all that generation,

7 And the sons of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty, and the land was filled with them.

The children of Israel increased, and sprung up into multitudes, and growing exceedingly strong they filled the land.

8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not Joseph:

9 And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

And he said to his people: Behold the people of the children of Israel are numerous and stronger than we.

10 Come, let us deal craftily with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when war happens, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.

Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply: and if any war shall rise against us, join with our enemies, and having overcome us, depart out of the land.

11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Rameses.

Therefore he set over them masters of the works, to afflict them with burdens, and they built for Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom and Ramesses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. And they were grieved because of the sons of Israel.

But the more they oppressed them, the more they were multiplied, and increased:

13 And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve with rigor.

And the Egyptians hated the children of Israel, and afflicted them and mocked them:

14 And they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, with which they made them serve with rigor.

And they made their life bitter with hard works in clay, and brick, and with all manner of service, wherewith they were overcharged in the works of the earth.

15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah.

And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua,

16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the birth-stool, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him, but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

Commanding them: When you shall do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery is come: if it be a man child, kill it: if a woman, keep it alive.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded, but saved the men children.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the male children alive?

And the king called for them and said: What is that you meant to do, that you would save the men children?

19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women, for they are lively, and are delivered before the midwife comes to them.

They answered: The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women: for they themselves are skillful in the office of a midwife; and they are delivered before we come to them.

20 And God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied, and grew very mighty.

Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied and grew exceedingly strong.

21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them households.

And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses.

22 And Pharaoh ordered all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Pharao therefore charged all his people, saying: Whatsoever shall be born of the male sex, ye shall cast into the river: whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive.