Chapter 1

Now these [are] the names of the children of Israel, which came⁶ into Egypt; every man and his household came¹ with Jacob.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

And all the souls that came out⁶ of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt [already].

And Joseph died,⁴ and all his brethren, and all that generation.

And the children of Israel were fruitful,¹ and increased abundantly,⁴ and multiplied,⁴ and waxed exceeding ³⁹⁶⁶ mighty;⁴ and the land was filled¹¹ with them.

Now there arose up⁴ a new king over Egypt, which knew¹ not Joseph.

And he said⁴ unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel [are] more and mightier than we:

Come on,³ let us deal wisely¹⁰¹ with them; lest they multiply,⁴ and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out⁴ any war, they join⁸ also unto our enemies,⁶ and fight⁸ against us, and [so] get them up¹ out of the land.

Therefore they did set⁴ over them taskmasters ⁸²⁶⁹ to afflict¹⁵ them with their burdens. And they built⁴ for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

But the more they afflicted¹⁷ them, the more they multiplied⁴ and grew.⁴ And they were grieved⁴ because of the children of Israel.

And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve⁵⁵ with rigour:

And they made their lives bitter¹⁷ 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,¹ [was] with rigour.

And the king of Egypt spake⁴ to the Hebrew midwives,¹⁸ of which the name of the one [was] Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

And he said,⁴ When ye do the office of a midwife¹⁵ to the Hebrew women, and see¹ [them] upon the stools; if it [be] a son, then ye shall kill⁵² him: but if it [be] a daughter, then she shall live.¹

But the midwives¹⁸ feared⁴ God, and did¹ not as the king of Egypt commanded¹⁴ them, but saved the men children alive.¹⁷

And the king of Egypt called⁴ for the midwives,¹⁸ and said⁴ unto them, Why have ye done¹ this thing, and have saved the men children alive?¹⁷

And the midwives¹⁸ said⁴ unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively, and are delivered¹ ere the midwives¹⁸ come in⁴ unto them.

Therefore God dealt well⁵⁵ with the midwives:¹⁸ and the people multiplied,⁴ and waxed very mighty.⁴

And it came to pass, because the midwives¹⁸ feared¹ God, that he made⁴ them houses.

And Pharaoh charged¹⁷ all his people, saying,² Every son that is born ye shall cast⁵⁵ into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.¹⁷