Exodus 1

1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, that came into Egypt with Jacob, every man and his household they came.

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 that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; together with Joseph who was already in Egypt.

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 children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed 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 rose up 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 unto his people: Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more numerous 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 wisely with them lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there happen to be a war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and depart 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 And they set over taskmasters, to afflict them with their burdensome labors; and they built treasure cities, for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses.

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 in the measure that they afflicted them, so they multiplied and so they spread out; and they felt abhorrence because of the children of Israel.

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

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to labor 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 labor, in mortar, and in bricks, and in all manner of labor in the field; in all their service, wherein they made them labor 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 said 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, ye shall look upon the birth; if it be a son, then shall ye kill him; but if it be a daughter, then may she 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 they did not as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but saved the men-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 he said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-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 unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively; ere the midwife cometh in unto them they are delivered.

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 waxed 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 houses.

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

22 And Pharaoh charged 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.”