Exodus 1

VIN(i) 1 And these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt; with Jacob, they each came with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All those who descended from Jacob totaled 75 persons. Now Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 And Yoseph and all his brothers and all that generation die: 7 And the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied and were many and were very, very numerous, and the land was filled with them. 8 A new king, who knew nothing about Joseph, began to rule in Egypt. 9 And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the Israelites are greater and more numerous than us. 10 Come on, let's be careful how we treat them, so that when they grow numerous, if a war breaks out they won't join our enemies, fight against us, and leave our land." 11 So the Egyptians put slave masters over them in order to oppress them through forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply (storage) cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they vexed them, the more they multiplied and grew: so that they abhorred the children of Israel. 13 They forced the Israelites to work hard as slaves. 14 and they made their lives bitter with hard labor, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of labor in the field, all their labors which they ruthlessly made them do. 15 The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives. Shiphrah and Puah were among them. 16 "When you help the Hebrew women give birth," he said, "watch them as they deliver. If it's a son, kill him; but if it's a daughter, let her live." 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt told them. Instead, they let the boys live. 18 And the king of Egypt summoned the midwives, and he said to them, "Why have you done this thing and let the boys live?" 19 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 God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. 21 And so because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: Every son who is born must be thrown into the Nile River. However, keep every daughter alive.