Exodus 1

1 Now these [are] the names of the children 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 to 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 and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 And all the souls that descended from Jacob, were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt [already].

All the people who were directly descended from Jacob were seventy-five, and Joseph was in Egypt already.

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

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

7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and became exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

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

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

9 And 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 people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

10 Come, let us deal wisely with them: lest they multiply, and it shall come to pass, that when there falleth out any war, they will join with our enemies, and fight against us, and depart from the land.

Come, let us 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."

11 Therefore they set over them task-masters, to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities, Pithom, and Raamses.

Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Rameses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.

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

And the Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel labor,

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

and they made their lives bitter with hard labor, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of labor in the field, all their labors which they ruthlessly made them do.

15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives (of which the name of one [was] Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: )

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,

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

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."

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

But the midwives feared God, and did not do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.

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?

The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and have saved the boys alive?"

19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women: for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in to them.

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."

20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and became very mighty.

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

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

It happened, because the midwives feared God, that he gave them families.

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.

Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "You are to cast every son who is born to the Hebrews into the river, but every daughter you are to keep alive."