Exodus 1
1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, that came into Egypt with Jacob, every man and his household they came.
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 came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; together with Joseph who was already 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 brothers, and all that generation.
Then Joseph, all his brothers, and all that generation died.
7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
The Israelites were fruitful, increased greatly in numbers, and became very strong; the land was filled with them.
8 Now there rose up a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
Now then a new king arose over Egypt, one who did not know about Joseph.
9 And he said unto his people: Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more numerous and mightier than we.
He said to his people, “Look, the Israelites are more numerous and stronger than we are.
10 Come, let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there happen to be a war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and 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 And they set over taskmasters, to afflict them with their burdensome labors; and they built treasure cities, for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses.
So they put taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. The Israelites built store cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Rameses.
12 But in the measure that they afflicted them, so they multiplied and so they spread out; and they felt abhorrence 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 to labor with rigor:
The Egyptians made the Israelites work rigorously.
14 And they made their lives bitter with hard labor, in mortar, and in bricks, and in all manner of labor in the field; in all their service, wherein they made them labor with rigor.
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 said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other 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 do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, ye shall look upon the birth; if it be a son, then shall ye kill him; but if it be a daughter, then may she 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 they did not as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but saved the men-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 for the midwives, and he said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-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 unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively; ere the midwife cometh in unto them they are delivered.
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 waxed very mighty.
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 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and 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.”
