Exodus 1

Blessing during Bondage in Egypt

1:11 These2 are the names3 of the sons of Israel4 who entered Egypt – each man with his household5 entered with Jacob: 1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 1:4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 1:5 All the people6 who were directly descended7 from Jacob numbered seventy.8 But Joseph was already in Egypt,9 1:6 and in time10 Joseph11 and his brothers and all that generation died. 1:7 The Israelites,12 however,13 were fruitful, increased greatly, multiplied, and became extremely strong,14 so that the land was filled with them.

1:8 Then a new king,15 who did not know about16 Joseph, came to power17 over Egypt. 1:9 He said18 to his people, “Look at19 the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are! 1:10 Come, let’s deal wisely20 with them. Otherwise21 they will continue to multiply,22 and if23 a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with24 our enemies and fight against us and leave25 the country.”

1:11 So they put foremen26 over the Israelites27 to oppress28 them with hard labor. As a result29 they built Pithom and Rameses30 as store cities for Pharaoh. 1:12 But the more the Egyptians31 oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread.32 As a result the Egyptians loathed33 the Israelites, 1:13 and they34 made the Israelites serve rigorously.35 1:14 They made their lives bitter36 by37 hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of service38 in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.39

1:15 The king of Egypt said40 to the Hebrew midwives,41 one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,42 1:1643 “When you assist44 the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe at the delivery:45 If it is a son, kill him,46 but if it is a daughter, she may live.”47 1:17 But48 the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.49

1:18 Then the king of Egypt summoned50 the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?”51 1:19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew52 women are not like the Egyptian women – for the Hebrew women53 are vigorous; they give birth before the midwife gets to them!”54 1:20 So God treated the midwives well,55 and the people multiplied and became very strong. 1:21 And because the midwives feared God, he made56 households57 for them.

1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “All sons58 that are born you must throw59 into the river, but all daughters you may let live.”60

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