Exodus 1

1 And these are the names of the sons of Israel who had come into Egypt; with Jacob had they come, each with his household:

These are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

5 And all the souls that had come out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt.

All the people who were descendants of Jacob were seventy in number. Joseph was already in Egypt.

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

Then Joseph, all his brothers, and all that generation died.

7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and swarmed and multiplied, and became exceeding strong; and the land was full of them.

The Israelites were fruitful, increased greatly in numbers, and became very strong; the land was filled with them.

8 And there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

Now then a new king arose over Egypt, one who did not know about Joseph.

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

He said to his people, “Look, the Israelites are more numerous and stronger than we are.

10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass that, if war occur, they take side with our enemies and fight against us, and go up out of the land.

Come, let us deal with them wisely, otherwise they will continue to grow in numbers, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the land.”

11 And they set over them service-masters to oppress them with their burdens. And they built store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Rameses.

So they put taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. The Israelites built store cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Rameses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and spread; and they were distressed because of the children of Israel.

But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites increased in numbers and spread. So the Egyptians began to dread the Israelites.

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with harshness;

The Egyptians made the Israelites work rigorously.

14 and they embittered their life with hard labour in clay and bricks, and in all manner of labour in the field: all their labour with which they made them serve was with harshness.

They made their lives bitter with hard service with mortar and brick, and with all kinds of work in the fields. All their required work was hard.

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 was Puah —

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives; the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the other Puah.

16 and he said, When ye help the Hebrew women in bearing, and see [them] on the stool, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him, but if a daughter, then she shall live.

He said, “When you assist the Hebrew women on the birthstool, observe when they give birth. If it is a son, then you must kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she may live.”

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

But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt ordered them; instead, they let the baby boys live.

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

The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the baby boys live?”

19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian; for they are strong, and they have borne before the midwife comes to them.

The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are vigorous and have finished giving birth before a midwife comes to them.”

20 And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong.

God protected these midwives. The people increased in numbers and became very strong.

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

Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

22 Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, but every daughter ye shall save alive.

Pharaoh ordered all his people, “You must throw every son that is born into the river, but every daughter you will let live.”