Bible
- 1
- THESE ARE the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:
- 2
- Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
- 3
- Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
- 4
- Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
- 5
- All the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt.
- 6
- Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.
- 7
- But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, and the land was full of them.
- 8
- Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.
- 9
- He said to his people, Behold, the Israelites are too many and too mighty for us [and they outnumber us both in people and in strength].
- 10
- Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply more and, should war befall us, they join our enemies, fight against us, and escape out of the land.
- 11
- So they set over [the Israelites] taskmasters to afflict and oppress them with [increased] burdens. And [the Israelites] built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
- 12
- But the more [the Egyptians] oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that [the Egyptians] were vexed and alarmed because of the Israelites.
- 13
- And the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery.
- 14
- They made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of work in the field. All their service was with harshness and severity.
- 15
- Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom one was named Shiprah and the other Puah,
- 16
- When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.
- 17
- But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live.
- 18
- So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, Why have you done this thing and allowed the male children to live?
- 19
- The midwives answered Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them.
- 20
- So God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and became very strong.
- 21
- And because the midwives revered and feared God, He made them households [of their own].
- 22
- Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son born [to the Hebrews] you shall cast into the river [Nile], but every daughter you shall allow to live.
Copyright Information:
Amplified Bible Copyright (c) 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631 All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org
