1Now these are the names of the sons of Israel , who came into Egypt ( every man and his household came with Jacob ): 2Reuben , Simeon , Levi , and Judah , 3Issachar , Zebulun , and Benjamin , 4Dan and Naphtali , Gad and Asher. 5And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls : and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6And Joseph died , and all his brethren, and all that generation . 7And the children of Israel were fruitful , and increased abundantly , and multiplied , and waxed exceeding mighty ; and the land was filled with them . 8Now there arose a new king over Egypt , who knew not Joseph . 9And he said unto his people , Behold , the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we : 10come , let us deal wisely with them , lest they multiply , and it come to pass , that , when there falleth out any war , they also join themselves unto our enemies , and fight against us , and get them up out of the land. 11Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens . And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses . 12But the more they afflicted them , the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad . And they were grieved because of the children of Israel . 13And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: 14and they made their lives bitter with hard service , in mortar and in brick , and in all manner of service in the field , all their service , wherein they made them serve with rigor.
The Midwives' Courage
15And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives , of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah , and the name of the other Puah : 16and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women , and see them upon the birth-stool; if it be a son , then ye shall kill him ; but if it be a daughter , then she shall live . 17But the midwives feared God , and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them , but saved the men-children alive . 18And 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 ? 19And the midwives said unto Pharaoh , Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women ; for they are lively , and are delivered ere the midwife come unto them . 20And God dealt well with the midwives : and the people multiplied , and waxed very mighty . 21And it came to pass , because the midwives feared God, that he made them households .
The Decree Against the Israelites
22And Pharaoh charged all his people , saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river , and every daughter ye shall save alive .