Exodus 1
1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.
6 And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.
When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,
7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.
8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.
9 And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.
10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falls out any war, they join also to our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”
11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.
12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.
13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor:
And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.
14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.
And they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.
15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)
16 And he said, When you do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the stools; if it be a son, then you shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.
18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, Why have you done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”
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 midwives come in to them.
They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.
21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.
22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.
Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”
