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: —

Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob):

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.

All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already.

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

Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation.

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.

The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

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

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph.

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

He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.

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’s deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies and fight against us, and escape out of the land.”

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.

Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses.

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 afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They started to dread the children of Israel.

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

The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve,

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 they made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.

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; —

The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other 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.

and he said, “When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall 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.

But the midwives feared God, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.

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?

The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?”

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 said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women aren’t like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”

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

God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty.

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

Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

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.

Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”