Now these are the names of the children
of Israel
, which came
into Egypt
; every man
and his household
came
with Jacob
.
Reuben, Simeon
, Levi
, and Judah
,
Issachar, Zebulun
, and Benjamin
,
Dan, and Naphtali
, Gad
, and Asher
.
And all the souls that came out
of the loins
of Jacob
were seventy
souls
: for Joseph
was in Egypt
already .
And Joseph died
, and all his brethren
, and all that generation
.
And the children of Israel
were fruitful
, and increased abundantly
, and multiplied
, and waxed exceeding
mighty
; and the land
was filled
with them.
Now there arose up a new
king
over Egypt
, which knew
not Joseph
.
And he said unto his people
, Behold, the people
of the children
of Israel
are more
and mightier
than we:
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
.
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters
to afflict
them with their burdens
. And they built
for Pharaoh
treasure
cities
, Pithom
and Raamses
.
But the more they afflicted them, the more
they multiplied
and grew
. And they were grieved
because
of the children
of Israel
.
And the Egyptians made
the children
of Israel
to serve
with rigour
:
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
.
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
:
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
.
But the midwives feared
God
, and did
not as the king
of Egypt
commanded
them, but saved
the men children
alive
.
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
?
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.
Therefore God dealt well
with the midwives
: and the people
multiplied
, and waxed very
mighty
.
And it came to pass, because the midwives feared
God
, that he made
them houses
.
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
.