1 | Now these [are] the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. |
2 | Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, |
3 | Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, |
4 | Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. |
5 | And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt [already]. |
6 | And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. |
7 | And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. |
8 | Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. |
9 | And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel [are] more and mightier than we: |
10 | Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and [so] get them up out of the land. |
11 | Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. |
12 | But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. |
13 | And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: |
14 | And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, [was] with rigour. |
15 | And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which 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 [be] a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it [be] 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 men children alive. |
18 | And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? |
19 | And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. |
20 | Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. |
21 | And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. |
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. |