1Now these are the names of the children of Israel , which 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 : for 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 up a new king over Egypt , which knew not Joseph . 9And he said unto his people , Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10Come on , let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply , and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war , they join also unto our enemies , and fight against us, and so 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 treasure cities , Pithom and Raamses . 12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew . And they were grieved because of the children of Israel . 13And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour : 14And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage , in morter , and in brick , and in all manner of service in the field : all their service , wherein they made them serve , was with rigour .
The Midwives' Courage
15And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives , of which 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 stools ; 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 midwives come in unto them. 20Therefore 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 houses .
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 .