1 T hese are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:

Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob):

2 R euben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

3 I ssachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 D an and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 A ll the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt.

All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already.

6 T hen Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.

Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation.

7 B ut the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, and the land was full of them.

The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8 N ow a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph.

9 H e said to his people, Behold, the Israelites are too many and too mighty for us '> outnumber us both in people and in strength].

He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.

10 C ome, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply more and, should war befall us, they join our enemies, fight against us, and escape out of the land.

Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and escape out of the land.”

11 S o they set over taskmasters to afflict and oppress them with burdens. And built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses.

12 B ut the more oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that were vexed and alarmed because of the Israelites.

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They were grieved because of the children of Israel.

13 A nd the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery.

The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve,

14 T hey made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of work in the field. All their service was with harshness and severity.

and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.

15 T hen the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom one was named Shiprah and the other Puah,

The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,

16 W hen you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.

and he said, “When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool; if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”

17 B ut the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live.

But the midwives feared God, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.

18 S o the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, Why have you done this thing and allowed the male children to live?

The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and have saved the boys alive?”

19 T he midwives answered Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them.

The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women aren’t like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous, and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”

20 S o God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and became very strong.

God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty.

21 A nd because the midwives revered and feared God, He made them households.

Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

22 T hen Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son born you shall cast into the river, but every daughter you shall allow to live.

Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”