⁶ Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,^{(A) 7} but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers^(B) and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

⁸ Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.^{(C) 9} “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous^(D) for us.^{(E) 10} Come, we must deal shrewdly^(F) 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.”^(G)

²² Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile,^(A) but let every girl live.”^(B)

The Birth of Moses

2 Now a man of the tribe of Levi^(C) married a Levite woman,^{(D) 2} and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine^(E) child, she hid him for three months.^{(F) 3} But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus^(G) basket^[a] for him and coated it with tar and pitch.^(H) Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds^(I) along the bank of the Nile. ⁴ His sister^(J) stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

⁵ Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank.^(K) She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. ⁶ She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.