Exodus 1

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

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

2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

3 Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 Dan, and Nephtali, Gad and Aser.

Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

8 In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not 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 numerous and stronger than we.

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

10 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.

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 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.

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

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

The Egyptians made the Israelites work rigorously.

14 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.

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 midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua,

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

16 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.

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 do as the king of Egypt had commanded, but saved the men children.

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

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

19 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.

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

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

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

Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

22 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.

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