Exodus

The second book of Moses, called Exodus, chapter 1, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 1 New English Translation

Blessing during Bondage in Egypt

   1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who entered Egypt - each man with his household entered with Jacob: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the people who were directly descended from Jacob numbered seventy. But Joseph was already in Egypt, 6 and in time Joseph and his brothers and all that generation died. 7 the Israelites, however, were fruitful, increased greatly, multiplied, and became extremely strong, so that the land was filled with them.
   8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power over Egypt. 9 He said to his people, "Look at the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are! 10 Come, let's deal wisely with them. Otherwise they will continue to multiply, and if a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with our enemies and fight against us and leave the country."
   11 So they put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor. As a result they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites, 13 and they made the Israelites serve rigorously. 14 they made their lives bitter by hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of service in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.
   15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 "When you assist the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe at the delivery: If it is a son, kill him, but if it is a daughter, she may live." 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.
   18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this and let the boys live?" 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women - for the Hebrew women are vigorous; they give birth before the midwife gets to them!" 20 So God treated the midwives well, and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he made households for them.
   22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "All sons that are born you must throw into the river, but all daughters you may let live."

King James Version

   1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
   2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
   3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
   4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
   5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
   6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
   7 ¶ And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
   8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
   9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
   10 Come 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.
   11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
   12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
   13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
   14 And 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.
   15 ¶ And 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:
   16 And 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.
   17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
   18 And 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?
   19 And 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.
   20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
   21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
   22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.