1:1 THESE ARE the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: |
1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, |
1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, |
1:4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. |
1:5 All the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. |
1:6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. |
1:7 But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, and the land was full of them. |
1:8 Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. |
1:9 He said to his people, Behold, the Israelites are too many and too mighty for us [and they outnumber us both in people and in strength]. |
1:10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply more and, should war befall us, they join our enemies, fight against us, and escape out of the land. |
1:11 So they set over [the Israelites] taskmasters to afflict {and} oppress them with [increased] burdens. And [the Israelites] built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. |
1:12 But the more [the Egyptians] oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that [the Egyptians] were vexed {and} alarmed because of the Israelites. |
1:13 And the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery. |
1:14 They made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of work in the field. All their service was with harshness {and} severity. |
1:15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom one was named Shiprah and the other Puah, |
1:16 When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live. |
1:17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live. |
1:18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, Why have you done this thing and allowed the male children to live? |
1:19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them. |
1:20 So God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and became very strong. |
1:21 And because the midwives revered {and} feared God, He made them households [of their own]. |
1:22 Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son born [to the Hebrews] you shall cast into the river [Nile], but every daughter you shall allow to live. |