The People of Israel Suffer
1-5 When Jacob went to Egypt, his son Joseph was already there. So Jacob took his eleven other sons and their families. They were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. Altogether, Jacob had 70 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who went with him.
6 After Joseph, his brothers, and everyone else in that generation had died, 7 the people of Israel became so numerous that the whole region of Goshen was full of them.
8 Many years later a new king came to power. He did not know what Joseph had done for Egypt, 9 and he told the Egyptians:
There are too many of those Israelites in our country, and they are becoming more powerful than we are. 10 If we don't outsmart them, their families will keep growing larger. And if our country goes to war, they could easily fight on the side of our enemies and escape from Egypt.
11 The Egyptians put slave bosses in charge of the people of Israel and tried to wear them down with hard work. Those bosses forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses, where the king could store his supplies. 12 But even though the Israelites were mistreated, their families grew larger, and they took over more land. Because of this, the Egyptians feared them worse than before 13 and made them work so hard 14 that their lives were miserable. The Egyptians were cruel to the people of Israel and forced them to make bricks and to mix mortar and to work in the fields.
15 Finally, the king called in Shiphrah and Puah, the two women who helped the Hebrew mothers when they gave birth. 16 He told them, “If a Hebrew woman gives birth to a girl, let the child live. If the baby is a boy, kill him!”
17 But the two women were faithful to God and did not kill the boys, even though the king had told them to. 18 The king called them in again and asked, “Why are you letting those baby boys live?”
19 They answered, “Hebrew women have their babies much quicker than Egyptian women. By the time we arrive, their babies are already born.” 20-21 God was good to the two women because they truly respected him, and he blessed them with children of their own.
The Hebrews kept increasing 22 until finally, the king gave a command to everyone in the nation, “As soon as a Hebrew boy is born, throw him into the Nile River! But you can let the girls live.”
1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt (euery man and his housholde came thither with Iaakob) 2 Reuben, Simeon, Leui, and Iudah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Beniamin, 4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 So al the soules, that came out of the loines of Iaakob, were seuentie soules: Ioseph was in Egypt already. 6 Nowe Ioseph died and all his brethren, and that whole generation. 7 And the children of Israel brought foorth fruite and encreased in aboundance, and were multiplied, and were exceeding mightie, so that the land was full of them. 8 Then there rose vp a newe King in Egypt, who knewe not Ioseph. 9 And he sayde vnto his people, Beholde, the people of the children of Israel are greater and mightier then we. 10 Come, let vs worke wisely with them, least they multiplie, and it come to passe, that if there be warre, they ioyne them selues also vnto our enemies, and fight against vs, and get them out of the land. 11 Therefore did they set taskemasters ouer them, to keepe the vnder with burdens: and they built the cities Pithom and Raamses for the treasures of Pharaoh. 12 But the more they vexed them, the more they multiplied and grewe: therefore they were more grieued against the children of Israel. 13 Wherefore the Egyptians by crueltie caused the children of Israel to serue. 14 Thus they made them weary of their liues by sore labour in clay and in bricke, and in al worke in the fielde, with all maner of bondage, which they layde vpon them most cruelly. 15 Moreouer the King of Egypt commanded ye midwiues of the Ebrewe women, (of which the ones name was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah) 16 And sayde, When ye doe the office of a midwife to the women of the Ebrewes, and see them on their stooles, if it be a sonne, then yee shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then let her liue. 17 Notwithstanding ye midwiues feared God, and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them, but preserued aliue the men children. 18 Then the King of Egypt called for the midwiues, and sayde vnto them, Why haue yee done thus, and haue preserued aliue the men children? 19 And the midwiues answered Pharaoh, Because the Ebrewe women are not as the women of Egypt: for they are liuely, and are deliuered yer the midwife come at them. 20 God therefore prospered the midwiues, and the people multiplied and were very mightie. 21 And because ye midwiues feared God, therefore he made them houses. 22 Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Euery man childe that is borne, cast yee into the riuer, but reserue euery maide childe aliue.