Exodus 1

Israel Oppressed in Egypt

1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; each came with his family:
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

5 The total number of Jacob's descendants was 70; Joseph was already in Egypt.
6 Then Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died.

7 But the Israelites were fruitful, increased rapidly, multiplied, and became extremely numerous so that the land was filled with them.
8 A new king, who had not known Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 9 He said to his people, "Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and powerful than we are. 10 Let us deal shrewdly with them; otherwise they will multiply [further], and if war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country." 11 So the Egyptians assigned taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. 13 They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

14 and made their lives bitter with difficult labor in brick and mortar and in all kinds of fieldwork. They ruthlessly imposed all this work on them.
15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 "When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them as they deliver. If the child is a son, kill him, but if it's a daughter, she may live." 17 The Hebrew midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.

18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this and let the boys live?"

19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife can get to them."
20 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very numerous. 21 Since the midwives feared God, He gave them families.

22 Pharaoh then commanded all his people: "You must throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile, but let every daughter live."

Exodus 1

Blessing during Bondage in Egypt

1 s Theset are the namess of the sons of Israelt who entered Egypt – each man with his householdt entered with Jacob:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.5 All the peoplet who were directly descendedt from Jacob numbered seventy.s But Joseph was already in Egypt,t6 and in timet Josephts and his brothers and all that generation died.

7 The Israelites,t however,t were fruitful, increased greatly, multiplied, and became extremely strong,ts so that the land was filled with them.
8 Then a new king,s who did not know aboutt Joseph, came to powert over Egypt.9 He saidt to his people, “Look att the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are!

10 Come, let’s deal wiselyts with them. Otherwiset they will continue to multiply,t and ift a war breaks out, they will ally themselves witht our enemies and fight against us and leavet the country.”
11 So they put forement over the Israelitest to oppresss them with hard labor. As a resultt they built Pithom and Ramesess as store cities for Pharaoh.12 But the more the Egyptianst oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread.ts As a result the Egyptians loathedt the Israelites,13 and theyt made the Israelites serve rigorously.t

14 They made their lives bitters byt hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of servicet in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.t
15 The king of Egypt saidt to the Hebrew midwives,s one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,t16 t “When you assistt the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe at the delivery:t If it is a son, kill him,s but if it is a daughter, she may live.”t

17 Butt the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.t
18 Then the king of Egypt summonedt the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?”t19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrews women are not like the Egyptian women – for the Hebrew woment are vigorous; they give birth before the midwife gets to them!”ts20 So God treated the midwives well,t and the people multiplied and became very strong.

21 And because the midwives feared God, he madet householdst for them.

22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “All sonst that are born you must throwt into the river, but all daughters you may let live.”ts