The Israelites are multiplied in Egypt. They are oppressed by a new king, who commands all their male children to be killed.

¹ These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:

² Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

³ Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

⁴ Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

⁵ Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.

⁶ When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,

⁷ the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.¹

1. 1:7The word ‘germinantes’ is an example of a participle used as a noun: seedlings.(Conte)

⁸ Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.

⁹ And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.

¹⁰ Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”

¹¹ And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.¹

1. 1:11Of tabernacles: Or, of storehouses.(Challoner)

¹² And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.

¹³ And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.

¹⁴ And they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.

¹⁵ Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)

¹⁶ instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”

¹⁷ But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.

¹⁸ And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”

¹⁹ They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”¹

1. 1:19The midwives were not lying. The Hebrew women were very hardy and strong, having spent their lives in manual labor and hardship. The Hebrew women also feared that their child would be male and be killed, so they did not call for the midwives, if they could avoid doing so. So, in fact, they did often give birth before the midwives arrived. They also likely had some obstetrical knowledge handed down through their families, because the Hebrew people had strong extended families. So, the statements by the midwives were true. They did not reveal the additional truth that when they were present for the birth, they deliberately helped to preserve the males from death. But they did not lie.(Conte)

²⁰ Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.

²¹ And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.¹

1. 1:21Because the midwives feared God, etc: The midwives were rewarded, not for their lie, which was a venial sin; but for their fear of God, and their humanity: but this reward was only temporal, in building them houses, that is, in establishing and enriching their families.(Challoner)

²² Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”