The Israelis Prosper in Egypt

1 These are the names of the Israelis^[a] who entered Egypt with Jacob, each one having come with his family:^{[b] 2} Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, ³ Issacar, Zebulun, Benjamin, ⁴ Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. ⁵ All those who descended from^[c] Jacob totaled 75 persons.^[d] Now Joseph was already^[e] in Egypt. ⁶ Then Joseph, all his brothers, and that entire generation died. ⁷ But the Israelis were fruitful and increased abundantly.^[f] They multiplied in numbers and became very, very strong. As a result, the land was filled with them.

The Israelis Become Slaves

⁸ Eventually a new king who was unacquainted with Joseph came to power in^[g] Egypt. ⁹ He told his people, “Look, the Israeli people are more numerous and more powerful than we are. ¹⁰ Come on, let’s be careful how we treat them, so that when they grow numerous, if a war breaks out they won’t join our enemies, fight against us, and leave our land.” ¹¹ So the Egyptians^[h] placed supervisors over them, oppressing them with heavy burdens. The Israelis^[i] built the supply cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. ¹² But the more the Egyptians afflicted the Israelis,^[j] the more they multiplied and flourished, so that the Egyptians^[k] became terrified of^[l] the Israelis. ¹³ The Egyptians ruthlessly forced the Israelis to serve them, ¹⁴ making their lives bitter through hard labor with mortar, bricks, and all kinds of outdoor labor. They ruthlessly imposed all this^[m] work on them.

Pharaoh Orders Male Children Killed

¹⁵ Later, the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah. ¹⁶ “When you help the Hebrew women give birth,” he said, “watch them as they deliver.^[n] If it’s a son, kill him; but if it’s a daughter, let her live.” ¹⁷ But the midwives feared God and didn’t do what the king of Egypt told them. Instead,^[o] they let the boys live.

¹⁸ When the king of Egypt called for the midwives, he asked them, “Why have you done this^[p] and allowed the boys to live?”

¹⁹ “Hebrew women aren’t like Egyptian women,” the midwives replied to Pharaoh. “They’re so healthy that they give birth before the midwives arrive to help^[q] them.”

²⁰ God was pleased with the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. ²¹ Because the midwives feared God, he provided families^[r] for them. ²² Meanwhile, Pharaoh continued commanding all of his people, “You’re to throw every Hebrew^[s] son who is born into the Nile River,^[t] but you’re to allow every Hebrew^[u] daughter to live.”