Exodus 1

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

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

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

3 Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin,

Issachar, Zebulon, and Benjamin;

4 Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 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.

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

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

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

7 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).

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.

8 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].

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

9 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!

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

10 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.”

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.

11 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].

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.

12 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.

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.

13 They forced the Israeli people to work very hard,

And the Egyptians rigorously made the sons of Israel serve;

14 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.

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.

15 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],

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; —

16 “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).”

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.

17 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.

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

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

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?

19 [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].”

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,

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

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

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

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

22 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.”

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.