Exodus 1

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

These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 And all the souls who came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls. And Joseph was in Egypt already.

Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.

6 And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.

When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,

7 And the sons of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty, and the land was filled with them.

the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.

8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.

9 And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.

10 Come, let us deal craftily with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when war happens, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.

Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”

11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Rameses.

And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. And they were grieved because of the sons of Israel.

And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.

13 And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve with rigor.

And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.

14 And they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, with which they made them serve with rigor.

And they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.

15 And 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 midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)

16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the birth-stool, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him, but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.

But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the male children alive?

And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”

19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women, for they are lively, and are delivered before the midwife comes to them.

They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”

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

Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.

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

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

22 And Pharaoh ordered all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”