Exodus 1

1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:

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, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 All the people who were descendants of Jacob were seventy in number. Joseph 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 Then Joseph, all his brothers, and all that generation died.

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

7 The Israelites were fruitful, increased greatly in numbers, and became very strong; 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 then a new king arose over Egypt, one who did not know about Joseph.

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

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

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 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.”

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 So they put taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. The Israelites 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 the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites increased in numbers and spread. So the Egyptians began to dread the Israelites.

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

13 The Egyptians made the Israelites work rigorously.

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

14 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.

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 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives; the name of the one was Shiphrah, and 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 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.”

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 ordered them; instead, they let the baby boys live.

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

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

19 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.”

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

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

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

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

22 Pharaoh ordered all his people, “You must throw every son that is born into the river, but every daughter you will let live.”

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.”