1 N ow these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

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 children 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 N ow there arose up a new king over Egypt, which 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 children 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 C ome 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.

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 did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, 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. And they were grieved because of the children 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 children of Israel to serve with rigour:

The Egyptians made the people of Israel work very hard.

14 A nd 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.

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 A nd the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other 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 them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be 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 as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

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 saved the men children alive?

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 ere 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 A nd Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

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