1:1 Now these [are] the names of the children of Israel, who
came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
1:4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
1:5 And all the souls that descended from Jacob, were seventy
souls: for Joseph was in Egypt [already].
1:6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that
generation.
1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased
abundantly, and multiplied, and became exceeding mighty; and
the land was filled with them.
1:8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
1:9 And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the
children of Israel [are] more and mightier than we.
1:10 Come, let us deal wisely with them: lest they multiply, and
it shall come to pass, that when there falleth out any war,
they will join with our enemies, and fight against us, and
depart from the land.
1:11 Therefore they set over them task-masters, to afflict them
with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities,
Pithom, and Raamses.
1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied
and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of
Israel.
1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with
rigor.
1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in
mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the
field: all their service in which they made them serve, [was]
with rigor.
1:15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives (of
which the name of one [was] Shiphrah, and the name of the other
Puah:)
1:16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the
Hebrew women, and see [them] upon the stools; if it [shall be]
a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it [shall be] a daughter,
then she shall live.
1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of
Egypt commanded them, but saved the male-children alive.
1:18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to
them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the
male-children alive?
1:19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women
[are] not as the Egyptian women: for they [are] lively, and are
delivered ere the midwives come in to them.
1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people
multiplied, and became very mighty.
1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that
he made them houses.
1:22 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.
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