Exodus 1

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

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

All the people who were descendants of Jacob were seventy in number. Joseph was already in Egypt.

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

Then Joseph, all his brothers, and all that generation died.

7 The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew 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 arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph.

Now then a new king arose over Egypt, one who did not know about Joseph.

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

He said to his people, “Look, the Israelites are more numerous and stronger than we are.

10 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.”

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 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage 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 the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They started to dread 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 The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve,

The Egyptians made the Israelites work rigorously.

14 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.

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 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,

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 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.”

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 didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys 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 The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?”

The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the baby boys live?”

19 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.”

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

God protected these midwives. The people increased in numbers and became very strong.

21 Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

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