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

11 So they put slave masters(F) over them to oppress them with forced labor,(G) and they built Pithom and Rameses(H) as store cities(I) for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly.(J) 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor(K) in brick(L) and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.(M)

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Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:

10 Come 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.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:

14 And 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.

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The Lord said, “I have indeed seen(A) the misery(B) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned(C) about their suffering.(D) So I have come down(E) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,(F) a land flowing with milk and honey(G)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites(H) and Jebusites.(I) And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing(J) them. 10 So now, go. I am sending(K) you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”(L)

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And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

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21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover(A) lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop,(B) dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood(C) on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23 When the Lord goes through the land to strike(D) down the Egyptians, he will see the blood(E) on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over(F) that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer(G) to enter your houses and strike you down.

24 “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance(H) for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land(I) that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children(J) ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover(K) sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”(L) Then the people bowed down and worshiped.(M) 28 The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded(N) Moses and Aaron.

29 At midnight(O) the Lord(P) struck down all the firstborn(Q) in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock(R) as well. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing(S) in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

The Exodus

31 During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship(T) the Lord as you have requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds,(U) as you have said, and go. And also bless(V) me.”

33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry(W) and leave(X) the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!”(Y)

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21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.

26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.

32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.

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