Exodus 1

1 Now, these, are the names of the Sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, with Jacob, did each man and his household come in: —

These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

3 Issachar, Zebulon, and Benjamin;

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

5 And it came to pass that all the persons who were descended from Jacob were seventy souls, —but, Joseph, was already in Egypt.

The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.

6 So then Joseph died and all his brethren, and all that generation.

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,

7 But the sons of Israel, were fruitful and swarmed and multiplied and waxed mighty, with exceeding vigour, —so that the land was filled with them.

but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

8 Then arose a new king over Egypt, —who had not known Joseph.

Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.

9 So he said, unto his people, Lo! the people of the sons of Israel are too many and mighty for us!

“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.

10 Come on! let us shew ourselves wise with regard to them, lest they so multiply that it shall come to pass when war befalleth us, that they also, shall join themselves unto them who hate us, and shall make war upon us. and then go up out of the land.

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”

11 So they set over them chiefs of tribute, to the end they might humiliate them with their burdens, —and they built store-cities for Pharaoh, even Pithom and Raamses.

So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

12 But the more they were humiliating them, the more, were they multiplying, and, the more, were they breaking forth, so they were filled with alarm because of the sons of Israel.

But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

13 And the Egyptians rigorously made the sons of Israel serve;

They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

14 and embittered their lives with harsh service, in clay and in bricks, and in all manner of service in the field, —all their service, wherein they rigorously made them serve.

and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.

15 Then said the king of Egypt 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 said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,

16 then he said—When ye act as midwives unto the Hebrew women, then shall ye look out for the sex, —If it is, a son, then shall ye kill it, But, if it is, a daughter, then shall it live.

“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt spake unto them, —but suffered the male children to live.

The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.

18 Then called the king of Egypt for the midwives, and said to them—Wherefore have ye done this thing, that ye should let the male children live?

So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh. Because not like the Egyptian women, are the Hebrew women, for they are full of life, ere yet the midwife can come in unto them, they have given birth,

The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”

20 So then God dealt well with the midwives, —and the people multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty.

So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.

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

And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.

22 Then gave Pharaoh command to all his people saying—Every son that is born to the Hebrews, into the river, shall ye cast him; But every daughter, shall ye suffer to live.

Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”