Exodus 1

1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt (euery man and his housholde came thither with Iaakob)

These were the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob) who came with him to Egypt along with their families:

2 Reuben, Simeon, Leui, and Iudah,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Beniamin,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 So al the soules, that came out of the loines of Iaakob, were seuentie soules: Ioseph was in Egypt already.

Jacob had 70 descendants there, including Joseph who was already in Egypt.

6 Nowe Ioseph died and all his brethren, and that whole generation.

Eventually Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died.

7 And the children of Israel brought foorth fruite and encreased in aboundance, and were multiplied, and were exceeding mightie, so that the land was full of them.

However, the Israelites had many children and their numbers increased rapidly. In fact there were so many of them that they became very powerful—the country was full of them.

8 Then there rose vp a newe King in Egypt, who knewe not Ioseph.

Then a new king came to power who didn't know anything about Joseph.

9 And he sayde vnto his people, Beholde, the people of the children of Israel are greater and mightier then we.

He conferred with his fellow Egyptians and said, “Look at these Israelites—there are more than them than us, and they're more powerful than us.

10 Come, let vs worke wisely with them, least they multiplie, and it come to passe, that if there be warre, they ioyne them selues also vnto our enemies, and fight against vs, and get them out of the land.

We've got to make plan to deal with them before they become so many that if there's a war they'll side with our enemies and fight us, and flee the country.”

11 Therefore did they set taskemasters ouer them, to keepe the vnder with burdens: and they built the cities Pithom and Raamses for the treasures of Pharaoh.

So the Egyptians made them do forced labor and put taskmasters in charge of them. They used them to build the storage towns of Pithom and Rameses.

12 But the more they vexed them, the more they multiplied and grewe: therefore they were more grieued against the children of Israel.

But the more the Israelites were mistreated, the more they grew in numbers and spread out—and the more the Egyptians detested them.

13 Wherefore the Egyptians by crueltie caused the children of Israel to serue.

The Egyptians worked the Israelites brutally,

14 Thus they made them weary of their liues by sore labour in clay and in bricke, and in al worke in the fielde, with all maner of bondage, which they layde vpon them most cruelly.

making their lives a misery. They made them do hard labor, building with mortar and brick, and all kind of heavy work in the fields. In all of this hard labor they treated them brutally.

15 Moreouer the King of Egypt commanded ye midwiues of the Ebrewe women, (of which the ones name was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah)

Then the king gave orders to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah.

16 And sayde, When ye doe the office of a midwife to the women of the Ebrewes, and see them on their stooles, if it be a sonne, then yee shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then let her liue.

He told them, “When you assist the Hebrew women during childbirth, if you see it's a boy, kill him; but if it's a girl, let her live.”

17 Notwithstanding ye midwiues feared God, and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them, but preserued aliue the men children.

But because the midwives revered God, they didn't do what the king of Egypt had ordered. They let the boys live as well.

18 Then the King of Egypt called for the midwiues, and sayde vnto them, Why haue yee done thus, and haue preserued aliue the men children?

The king of Egypt called the midwives in and demanded to know, “Why have you done this— letting the male children live?”

19 And the midwiues answered Pharaoh, Because the Ebrewe women are not as the women of Egypt: for they are liuely, and are deliuered yer the midwife come at them.

“Hebrew women aren't like Egyptian women,” the midwives told Pharaoh. “They give birth more easily—they have them before we midwives arrive.”

20 God therefore prospered the midwiues, and the people multiplied and were very mightie.

God treated the midwives well, and the people increased in number so there were even more of them.

21 And because ye midwiues feared God, therefore he made them houses.

Because the midwives revered God, he gave them families of their own.

22 Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Euery man childe that is borne, cast yee into the riuer, but reserue euery maide childe aliue.

Then Pharaoh issued this order to all his people: “Throw every Hebrew boy that's born into the Nile, but let every girl live.”