Exodus 1

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

These are the names of the children of Israel, that went into Egypt with Jacob: they went in, every man with his household:

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin,

Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin,

4 Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan, and Nephtali, Gad and Aser.

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 all the souls that came out of Jacob’s thigh, were seventy: but Joseph was 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.

After he was dead, 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).

The children of Israel increased, and sprung up into multitudes, and growing exceedingly strong they filled the land.

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].

In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not 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!

And he said to his people: Behold the people of the children of Israel are numerous and stronger than we.

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, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply: and if any war shall rise against us, join with our enemies, and having overcome us, depart 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].

Therefore he set over them masters of the works, to afflict them with burdens, and they built for Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom and Ramesses.

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 oppressed them, the more they were multiplied, and increased:

13 They forced the Israeli people to work very hard,

And the Egyptians hated the children of Israel, and afflicted them and mocked them:

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 they made their life bitter with hard works in clay, and brick, and with all manner of service, wherewith they were overcharged in the works of the earth.

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],

And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua,

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).”

Commanding them: When you shall do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery is come: if it be a man child, kill it: if a woman, keep it alive.

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 do as the king of Egypt had commanded, but saved the men children.

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?”

And the king called for them and said: What is that you meant to do, that you would save the men children?

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].”

They answered: The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women: for they themselves are skillful in the office of a midwife; and they are delivered before we come to them.

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

Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied and grew exceedingly strong.

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

And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses.

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.”

Pharao therefore charged all his people, saying: Whatsoever shall be born of the male sex, ye shall cast into the river: whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive.