1 ¶ Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob; each one came in with his household.

These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob. Each one came with those of his house:

2 R euben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

3 I ssachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin,

4 D an and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

5 A nd all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

There were seventy people in Jacob’s family. But Joseph was already in Egypt.

6 A nd Joseph died and all his brethren and all that generation.

Joseph and all his brothers died and all their families of that time.

7 A nd the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly and multiplied and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

But the sons of Israel had many children, and the people became many in number. There were so many that the land was filled with them.

8 ¶ Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

Then a new king came into power over Egypt. He did not know Joseph.

9 A nd he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

He said to his people, “See, the people of Israel are too many and too powerful for us.

10 N ow, therefore, let us be wise concerning him, that he not multiply and it come to pass that when war comes, he shall also join with our enemies and fight against us and so leave the land.

Come, let us be wise in how we act towards them, or they will become more in number. If there is a war, they might join with those who hate us. They might fight against us and then leave the land.”

11 T herefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built the supply cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses.

So they put men in power over them to make them work hard. And they built the store-cities Pithom and Raamses for Pharaoh the king.

12 B ut the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew, so much that they loathed the sons of Israel.

But the more the Egyptians made them suffer, the more they became until they spread throughout the land. So the Egyptians were afraid of the people of Israel.

13 A nd the Egyptians made the sons of Israel serve with rigor,

The Egyptians made the people of Israel work very hard.

14 a nd they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, making mortar and brick and in all manner of service in the field; all their service, in which they made them serve, was with rigor.

They made their lives bitter with hard work building with stones and with all kinds of work in the field. They made them work very hard.

15 ¶ And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and another named Puah;

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew nurses. The name of one was Shiphrah. The name of the other was Puah.

16 a nd he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see the sex, if it is a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.

He said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth, and see the baby before the mother does, if it is a son, kill him. But if it is a daughter, let her live.”

17 B ut the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them but gave the men children their lives.

But the nurses feared God. They did not do what the king of Egypt told them. They let the boys live.

18 A nd the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing and have given the men children their lives?

So the king of Egypt called the nurses and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the boys live?”

19 A nd the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women, for they are lively and are delivered before the midwives come in unto them.

The nurses answered Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are strong. They give birth before the nurse comes to them.”

20 T herefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and waxed very mighty.

So God was good to the nurses. And the people became many and strong.

21 A nd it came to pass because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Because the nurses feared God, He gave them families.

22 T hen Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall give them their lives.

Then Pharaoh told all his people, “Throw every son who is born to the Hebrews into the Nile. But keep every daughter alive.”