Exodus Chapter 1

Exodus Chapter 1
1 Now these are the names of the
children of Israel, which came into
Egypt (every man and his household
came thither with Jacob)
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
5 So all the souls, that came out of the
loins of Jacob, were seventy souls:
Joseph was in Egypt already.
6 Now Joseph died and all his brethren,
and that whole generation. 7 And the
children of Israel brought forth fruit and
increased in abundance, and were
multiplied, and were exceeding mighty,
so that the land was full of them.
8 Then there rose up a new king in
Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
9 And he said unto his people, Behold,
the people of the children of Israel are
greater and mightier than we.
10 Come, let us work wisely with them,
lest they multiply, and it come to pass,
that if there be war, they join themselves
also unto our enemies, and fight against
us, and get them out of the land.
11 Therefore did they set taskmasters
over them, to keep them under with
burdens: and they built the cities Pithom
and Rameses for the treasures of
Pharaoh.
12 But the more they vexed them, the
more they multiplied and grew: therefore
they were more grieved against the
children of Israel. 13 Wherefore the
Egyptians by cruelty caused the children
of Israel to serve. 14 Thus they made
them weary of their lives by sore labor
in clay and in brick, and in all work in
the field, with all manner of bondage,
which they laid upon them most cruelly.
15 Moreover the king of Egypt
commanded the midwives of the Hebrew
women, (of which the one’s name was
Shiphrah, and the name of the other
Puah)
16 And said, When ye do the office of a
midwife to the women of the Hebrews,
and see them on their stools, if it be a
son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a
daughter, then let her live.
17 Notwithstanding the midwives feared
God, and did not as the king of Egypt
commanded them, but preserved alive
the men children.
18 Then the king of Egypt called for the
midwives, and said unto them, Why have
ye done thus, and have preserved alive
the men children?
19 And the midwives answered
Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew
women are not as the women of Egypt:
for they are lively, and are delivered ere
the midwife come at them.
20 God therefore prospered the
midwives, and the people multiplied and
were very mighty.
21 And because the midwives feared
God, therefore he made them houses. 22
Then Pharaoh charged all his people,
saying, Every man child that is born, cast
ye into the river, but reserve every maid
child alive.