Exodus 1

1Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob):

1These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each bringing his own family:

2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

4Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

4Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: and Joseph was in Egypt already.

5In all, there were seventy direct descendants of Jacob. Joseph, however, was already in Egypt.

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

6Eventually, Joseph, all his brothers, and everyone of that entire generation died.

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

7But the descendants of Israel had many children and increased greatly in number. They became so numerous and strong that the land was filled with them.

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

8Then a new king, who did not know anything about Joseph, began to rule over Egypt.

9And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

9He said to his people, "Look, the Israelite people are becoming too numerous and too powerful for us."

10come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.

10"We must come up with a clever plan to stop them from growing. Otherwise, if a war breaks out, they might join our enemies, fight against us, and escape from the country."

11Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses.

11So the Egyptians put slave drivers over the Israelites to wear them down with hard labor. They built the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses for Pharaoh.

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

12But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread out. As a result, the Egyptians became terrified of them.

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

13The Egyptians ruthlessly forced the Israelites into slavery.

14and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor.

14They made their lives miserable with back-breaking work involving mortar, bricks, and all kinds of labor in the fields. In all their work, the Egyptians were cruel to them.

15And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

15The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives; the name of one was Shiphrah and the other was Puah.

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

16He told them, "When you help the Hebrew women give birth, look at them as they sit on the birthing stool. If the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live."

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

17However, the midwives respected God and did not do what the king of Egypt told them to do. Instead, they let the baby boys live.

18And 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?

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

19And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwife come unto them.

19The midwives answered Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women. They are strong and give birth before the midwife even arrives."

20And God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

20So God was good to the midwives, and the Israelite people continued to multiply and become very strong.

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

21Because the midwives honored God, he gave them families of their own.

22And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

22Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Every Hebrew boy that is born must be thrown into the Nile River, but you may let every girl live."