1These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: (Ge 35:23; Ge 46:8)2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,4Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.5All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. (Ge 46:27; De 10:22)6Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. (Ge 50:26)7But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. (Ge 46:3; De 26:5; Ac 7:17)
Pharaoh Oppresses Israel
8Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. (Ac 7:18)9And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. (Ps 105:24)10Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” (Ps 83:3; Ps 105:25; Ac 7:19)11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. (Ge 15:13; Ge 47:11; Ex 2:11; Ex 3:7; Ex 5:4; Ex 6:6; Ex 12:37; De 26:6; 2Ch 16:4; Ps 81:6)12But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.13So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves (Ex 5:7)14and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. (Ex 2:23; Ex 6:9; Nu 20:15; Ac 7:19; Ac 7:34)15Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,16“When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”17But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. (Pr 16:6; Da 3:16; Da 6:13; Ac 5:29)18So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?”19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”20So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. (Ec 8:12)21And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. (1Sa 2:35; 2Sa 7:11; 2Sa 7:27; 1Ki 2:24; 1Ki 11:38; Ps 127:1)22Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews[1] you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.” (Ge 41:1; Ac 7:19)
Exodus 1
New International Version
The Israelites oppressed
1These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:2Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah;3Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin;4Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.5The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy[1] in all; Joseph was already in Egypt. (Ge 46:27; Ac 7:14)6Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,7but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.8Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.9‘Look,’ he said to his people, ‘the Israelites have become far too numerous for us.10Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.’11So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labour, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.12But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites13and worked them ruthlessly.14They made their lives bitter with harsh labour in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labour, the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.15The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,16‘When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.’17The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.18Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, ‘Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?’19The midwives answered Pharaoh, ‘Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.’20So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous.21And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.22Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: ‘Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.’
Exodus 1
King James Version
1Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,4Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.5And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already .6And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.7And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.8Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.9And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:10Come 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.11Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.13And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:14And 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.15And 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:16And 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.17But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.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?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 midwives come in unto them.20Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.21And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.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.
Exodus 1
New International Reader’s Version
The Israelites become slaves in Egypt
1Here are the names of Israel’s children who went to Egypt with Jacob. Each one went with his family.2Jacob’s sons were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,3Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin,4Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.5The total number of Jacob’s children and grandchildren was 70. Joseph was already in Egypt.6Joseph and all his brothers died. So did all their children.7The people of Israel had many children. The number of them greatly increased. There were so many of them that they filled the land.8Then a new king came to power in Egypt. Joseph didn’t mean anything to him.9‘Look’, he said to his people. ‘The Israelites are far too many for us.10Come. We must deal with them carefully. If we don’t, there will be even more of them. Then if war breaks out, they’ll join our enemies. They’ll fight against us and leave the country.’11So the Egyptians put slave drivers over the people of Israel. The slave drivers treated them badly and made them work hard. The Israelites built the cities of Pithom and Rameses so Pharaoh could store things there.12But the worse the slave drivers treated the Israelites, the more Israelites there were. So the Egyptians became afraid of them.13They made them work hard. They didn’t show them any pity.14The people suffered because of their hard labour. The slave drivers forced them to work with bricks and mud. And they made them do all kinds of work in the fields. The Egyptians didn’t show them any pity at all. They made them work very hard.15There were two Hebrew women named Shiphrah and Puah. They helped other women having babies. The king of Egypt spoke to them. He said,16‘You are the ones who help the other Hebrew women. Watch them when they get into a sitting position to have their babies. Kill the boys. Let the girls live.’17But Shiphrah and Puah had respect for God. They didn’t do what the king of Egypt had told them to do. They let the boys live.18Then the king of Egypt sent for the women. He asked them, ‘Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?’19The women answered Pharaoh, ‘Hebrew women are not like the women of Egypt. They are strong. They have their babies before we get there.’20So God was kind to Shiphrah and Puah. And the number of Israelites became even greater.21Shiphrah and Puah had respect for God. So he gave them families of their own.22Then Pharaoh gave an order to all his people. He said, ‘You must throw every Hebrew baby boy into the River Nile. But let every Hebrew baby girl live.’