11 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob ; they came each one [1]with his household : 2 Reuben , Simeon , Levi and Judah ; 3 Issachar , Zebulun and Benjamin ; 4 Dan and Naphtali , Gad and Asher . 5 All the [2]persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy [3]in number , but Joseph was already in Egypt . 6 Joseph died , and all his brothers and all that generation . 7 But the sons of Israel were fruitful and [4]increased greatly , and multiplied , and became exceedingly [5]mighty , so that the land was filled with them.
8 Now a new king arose over Egypt , who did not know Joseph . 9 He said to his people , "Behold , the people of the sons of Israel are [6]more and mightier than we. 10 "Come , let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and [7]in the event e e of war , they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and [8]depart from the land ." 11 So they appointed taskmasters e over them to afflict them with [9] hard labor . And they built for Pharaoh storage cities , Pithom and Raamses . 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they [10]spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel . 13 The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously ; 14 and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field , all their labors which they rigorously [11]imposed on them.
15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives , one of whom [12]was named Shiphrah and the other [12]was named Puah ; 16 and he said , "When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool , if it is a son , then you shall put him to death ; but if it is a daughter , then she shall live ." 17 But the midwives [14] feared God , and did not do as the king of Egypt had [15]commanded them, but let the boys live . 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing , and let the boys live ?" 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh , "Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women ; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife [16]can get to them." 20 So God was good to the midwives , and the people multiplied , and became very [17]mighty . 21 Because the midwives [18] feared God , He [19] established [20]households for them. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people , saying , " Every son who is born [21]you are to cast into the Nile , and every daughter you are to keep alive ."
