¹ Now, these, are the names of the Sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, with Jacob, did each man and his household come in:—

² Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

³ Issachar, Zebulon, and Benjamin;

⁴ Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

⁵ And it came to pass that all the persons who were descended from Jacob were seventy souls,—but, Joseph, was already in Egypt.

⁶ So then Joseph died and all his brethren, and all that generation.

⁷ But the sons of Israel, were fruitful and swarmed and multiplied and waxed mighty, with exceeding vigour,—so that the land was filled with them.

⁸ Then arose a new king over Egypt,—who had not known Joseph.

⁹ So he said, unto his people, Lo! the people of the sons of Israel are too many and mighty for us!

¹⁰ Come on! let us shew ourselves wise with regard to them, lest they so multiply that it shall come to pass when war befalleth us, that they also, shall join themselves unto them who hate us, and shall make war upon us. and then go up out of the land.

¹¹ So they set over them chiefs of tribute, to the end they might humiliate them with their burdens,—and they built store-cities for Pharaoh, even Pithom and Raamses.

¹² But the more they were humiliating them, the more, were they multiplying, and, the more, were they breaking forth, so they were filled with alarm because of the sons of Israel.

¹³ And the Egyptians rigorously made the sons of Israel serve;

¹⁴ and embittered their lives with harsh service, in clay and in bricks, and in all manner of service in the field,—all their service, wherein they rigorously made them serve.

¹⁵ Then said the king of Egypt to the Hebrew midwives,—of whom, the name of the one was, Shiphrah, and, the name of the other Puah;—

¹⁶ then he said—When ye act as midwives unto the Hebrew women, then shall ye look out for the sex,—If it is, a son, then shall ye kill it, But, if it is, a daughter, then shall it live.

¹⁷ But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt spake unto them,—but suffered the male children to live.

¹⁸ Then called the king of Egypt for the midwives, and said to them—Wherefore have ye done this thing, that ye should let the male children live?

¹⁹ And the midwives said unto Pharaoh. Because not like the Egyptian women, are the Hebrew women, for they are full of life, ere yet the midwife can come in unto them, they have given birth,

²⁰ So then God dealt well with the midwives,—and the people multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty.

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

²² Then gave Pharaoh command to all his people saying—Every son that is born to the Hebrews, into the river, shall ye cast him; But every daughter, shall ye suffer to live.