Israel in Egypt

1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went into Egypt with Jacob; each man went with the members of his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the people descended from Jacob numbered seventy, with Joseph, who was in Egypt. 6 Joseph died, along with all his brothers and that whole generation. 7 The sons of Israel grew strong, had children, and increased in number. ⟨…⟩

Pharaoh Enslaves the Israelites

8 A new king rose over Egypt who did not know Joseph and did not follow his ways. 9 He told his people, “The people of the sons of Israel have become more numerous and stronger than we are. 10 Come, let us make evil plans against them and pass decrees to reduce their numbers before they increase. If battle lines are drawn, they might join our enemies, fight against us, appoint a king over themselves, and leave the land.” 11 They appointed taskmasters over them to oppress them with their labor, and they built fortified cities for Pharaoh: Tanis and Pelusium. 12 But the more they oppressed them, the more numerous and strong they became, and the Egyptians were distressed by the people of the sons of Israel. 13 The Egyptians subjected the sons of Israel to harsh slavery. 14 They embittered their lives with hard labor in clay and bricks and every kind of work in the fields, all the work they were made to do with harshness.

The Hebrew Midwives

15 The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one named Shiphrah and the other Puah. 16 He said, “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, look at the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; if a daughter, let her live.” 17 But the midwives feared before the Lord. They did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they kept the children alive. 18 The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this and kept the children alive?” 19 The midwives told Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are unlike the Egyptian women; they are vigorous. Before the midwife reaches them, they pray before their Father in the heavens. He answers them, and they give birth.”⁠a 20 The Lord showed kindness to the midwives, and the people increased and became very strong. 21 Since the midwives feared before the Lord, they gained a good name among the house of Israel, and he established houses for them: the royal house and the house of the high priesthood. Miriam received the crown of kingship, and Jochebed received the crown of the high priesthood. 22 Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Throw every son born to the Jews into the river, but keep every daughter alive.”