Exodus, 1

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

1. Here are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:

2. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

2. Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah,

3. Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

3. Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin,

4. Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

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].

5. These descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; apart from these, Joseph was already in Egypt.

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

6. Then Joseph died as did all his brothers 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.

7. The sons of Israel were fruitful and kept increasing. To such an extent did they multiply and grow in strength that the land teemed with them.

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

8. Then a new king who had not known Joseph came to power

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

9. and said to his people, "The Israelites are more numerous and stronger than we are.

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.

10. Let us deal warily with them lest they increase still more and, in case of war, side with our enemy, fight against us and escape from 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.

11. So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. In that way they built the storage towns of Pithom and Rameses.

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

12. But the more they oppressed the Hebrews the more they increased and spread, until the Egyptians dreaded the Israelites

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

13. and became ruthless in making them work.

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.

14. They made life bitter for them in hard labor with bricks and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields. In all their work the Egyptians treated them harshly.

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:

15. Then the king of Egypt gave orders to the Hebrew midwives - one of whom was called Shiprah and 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.

16. that when they attended Hebrew women who were on the birthstool and saw that it was a boy, they were to kill it, but if it was a girl they were to let it live.

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

17. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded but let the children live.

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?

18. The king called the midwives and said, "Why have you acted like that and let the children live?"

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.

19. The midwives replied, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are vigorous and give birth even before a midwife arrives."

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

20. God blessed the midwives, and the people increased and became even more numerous.

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

21. Because the midwives revered God, he made them mothers of families.

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.

22. Pharaoh then gave this order to all the people: "Every infant boy born to the Hebrews must be thrown into the Nile, but every girl may live."