Exodus 1

1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt (euery man and his housholde came thither with Iaakob)

The sons of Jacob who went to Egypt with him along with their families were

2 Reuben, Simeon, Leui, and Iudah,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Beniamin,

Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin,

4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

5 So al the soules, that came out of the loines of Iaakob, were seuentie soules: Ioseph was in Egypt already.

Altogether there were 70 people [who went with] Jacob. That included his [sons, his grandsons, and two great-grandsons]. [His son] Joseph was already in Egypt.

6 Nowe Ioseph died and all his brethren, and that whole generation.

[Eventually] Joseph and his [older and younger] brothers and everyone [else in their family who lived] (in that generation/at that time) died.

7 And the children of Israel brought foorth fruite and encreased in aboundance, and were multiplied, and were exceeding mightie, so that the land was full of them.

But Jacob’s descendants kept giving birth to many children [IDM]. The number [of his descendants] kept becoming larger and larger. As a result, there were so many of them that they were everywhere in Egypt (OR, that they [became a threat] to the Egyptians).

8 Then there rose vp a newe King in Egypt, who knewe not Ioseph.

Then [several hundred years later], a new king began to rule [MTY] in Egypt. He did not know [what] Joseph [had done for the people of Egypt long ago].

9 And he sayde vnto his people, Beholde, the people of the children of Israel are greater and mightier then we.

He said to his people, “Look [at what has happened]! The Israeli people have become so numerous and so powerful that they [now might conquer] us!

10 Come, let vs worke wisely with them, least they multiplie, and it come to passe, that if there be warre, they ioyne them selues also vnto our enemies, and fight against vs, and get them out of the land.

We must find a way to control them! If we do not do that, their population will continue to grow. Then, if enemies [PRS] attack us, they will join with our enemies and fight against us, and they will escape from [our] land.”

11 Therefore did they set taskemasters ouer them, to keepe the vnder with burdens: and they built the cities Pithom and Raamses for the treasures of Pharaoh.

So [the king and his officials] put supervisors over the Israeli people to cause them to suffer very much by [forcing them] to work very hard. They forced [the Israeli people to] build [two] cities, Pithom and Ramses, in which to store [supplies for the king/government].

12 But the more they vexed them, the more they multiplied and grewe: therefore they were more grieued against the children of Israel.

But the more cruelly they treated the [Israeli people], the bigger the Israeli [population] grew, and they became more numerous all over [the land]. So the Egyptian people began to be afraid of the Israeli people.

13 Wherefore the Egyptians by crueltie caused the children of Israel to serue.

They forced the Israeli people to work very hard,

14 Thus they made them weary of their liues by sore labour in clay and in bricke, and in al worke in the fielde, with all maner of bondage, which they layde vpon them most cruelly.

and by making them slaves, they made their lives miserable. They [forced them] to [build many buildings with] mortar and bricks. [They also forced them to do] other work in the fields. [In making them do all this work, the Egyptian officials treated them] ruthlessly/cruelly.

15 Moreouer the King of Egypt commanded ye midwiues of the Ebrewe women, (of which the ones name was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah)

There were two Hebrew (midwives/women who helped the women when they were giving birth). [Hebrew means the same as Israeli.] The names of the women were Shiphrah and Puah. The king of Egypt said to [those two women],

16 And sayde, When ye doe the office of a midwife to the women of the Ebrewes, and see them on their stooles, if it be a sonne, then yee shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then let her liue.

“When you help the Hebrew women when they are giving birth [MTY], if [the baby that is born] is a boy, you must kill it. If [the baby] is a girl, you (may let it live/do not have to kill them).”

17 Notwithstanding ye midwiues feared God, and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them, but preserued aliue the men children.

But the midwives feared/revered God. So they did not do what the king told them to do. They allowed the baby boys to live.

18 Then the King of Egypt called for the midwiues, and sayde vnto them, Why haue yee done thus, and haue preserued aliue the men children?

So the king summoned the [two] midwives and said to them, “Why are you doing this? Why are you letting the baby boys live?”

19 And the midwiues answered Pharaoh, Because the Ebrewe women are not as the women of Egypt: for they are liuely, and are deliuered yer the midwife come at them.

[One of] the midwives replied to the king, “[You need to realize that] the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. The Hebrew women are very strong/healthy. They give birth [to their babies] before we can get to them [to help them].”

20 God therefore prospered the midwiues, and the people multiplied and were very mightie.

So God acted kindly toward the midwives, and the [Hebrew] people became even more numerous and strong.

21 And because ye midwiues feared God, therefore he made them houses.

Furthermore, because the midwives feared/revered God, he enabled them also to give birth to children.

22 Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Euery man childe that is borne, cast yee into the riuer, but reserue euery maide childe aliue.

Then the king commanded all (the [Egyptian] people/his [advisors]): “You must throw into the Nile [River] every baby boy born that the [Hebrew women] give birth to! But you can allow the baby girls to live.”