1:11 These2 are the names3 of the sons of Israel4 who entered Egypt—each man with his household5 entered 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 All the people6 who were directly descended7 from Jacob numbered seventy8 (Joseph was already in Egypt).9 1:6 In time10 Joseph11 and his brothers and all that generation died. 1:7 But12 the Israelites13 were fruitful, increased abundantly, multiplied, and became exceedingly strong,14 so that the land was filled with them.
1:8 Then a new king,15 who did not know16 Joseph, came to power17 over Egypt. 1:9 He said18 to his people, “Look at19 the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are! 1:10 Come, let’s deal wisely20 with them. Otherwise21 they will continue to multiply,22 and if23 a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with24 our enemies and fight against us and leave25 the land.”
1:11 So they put foremen26 over them to oppress27 them with hard labor. As a result28 they built Pithom and Rameses29 as store cities for Pharaoh. 1:12 But the more the Egyptians30 oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread.31 As a result the Egyptians loathed32 the Israelites, 1:13 and they33 made the Israelites serve rigorously.34 1:14 So they made35 their lives bitter by36 hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of service37 in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.38
1:15 The king of Egypt said39 to the Hebrew midwives,40 one of whom was named Shiphrah, and the other Puah,41 1:1642 “When you assist43 the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe at the delivery:44 if it is a son, kill him,45 but if it is a daughter, she may live.”46 1:17 But47 the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.48
1:18 Then the king of Egypt summoned49 the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?”50 1:19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew51 women are not like the Egyptian women—for the Hebrew women52 are vigorous; they give birth before the midwife comes to them!”53 1:20 So God treated the midwives well,54 and the people multiplied and became very strong. 1:21 And because the midwives feared God, he made55 households56 for them.
1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “All sons57 that are born you must throw58 into the river, but all daughters you may let live.”59
The Birth of the Deliverer