A Translation of the Bible/Exodus

Chapter 1

1 And these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob; every man came with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 And all the living people that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy living people; and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 And the children of Israel were fertile, and increased greatly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8 And there arose a new king over Egypt, who had not known Joseph. 9 And he said to his people: "Behold the people; the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal wisely with them, in case they multiply, and it should happen that, when we get involved in any war, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and leave the land." 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built store-cities, Pithom and Raamses, for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were terrified because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians forced the children of Israel into slavery. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field; in all their service, where they made them work as slaves. 15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said: "When you act as midwife to the Hebrew women, you shall look at the birth stool; if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live." 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them: "Why have you done this thing, and have saved the male children alive?' 19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh: "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous, and are delivered before the midwife can come to them." 20 And God treated the midwives well; and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that He made them houses. 22 And Pharaoh ordered all his people, saying: "You shall throw every son that is born into the river, and you shall save alive every daughter."