Exodus 1
1
Israel Increases Greatly in Egypt
1 # For ver. 1-4, see Gen. 35:23-26; 46:8-26 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5All the descendants of Jacob were #Gen. 46:27; Deut. 10:22seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6Then #Gen. 50:26Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7#Deut. 26:5; Acts 7:17; [Gen. 46:3]But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
Pharaoh Oppresses Israel
8Now there arose a new king over Egypt, #Cited Acts 7:18who did not know Joseph. 9And he said to his people, “Behold, #Ps. 105:24the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10#Ps. 83:3, 4 Come, #Ps. 105:25; Acts 7:19let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11Therefore they set taskmasters over them #ch. 3:7; Gen. 15:13; Deut. 26:6 to afflict them with heavy #ch. 2:11; 5:4, 5; 6:6, 7; Ps. 81:6 burdens. They built for Pharaoh #[2 Chr. 16:4] store cities, Pithom and #[ch. 12:37; Gen. 47:11]Raamses. 12But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel #See ch. 5:7-19work as slaves 14and #[ch. 2:23; 6:9; Num. 20:15; Acts 7:19, 34]made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
15Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16“When you serve as midwife 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.” 17But the midwives #Prov. 16:6; [Dan. 3:16-18; 6:13; Acts 5:29]feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20#[Eccles. 8:12]So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21And because the midwives feared God, #[1 Sam. 2:35; 2 Sam. 7:11, 27; 1 Kgs. 2:24; 11:38; Ps. 127:1]he gave them families. 22Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, #Acts 7:19 “Every son that is born to the Hebrews#1:22 Samaritan, Septuagint, Targum; Hebrew lacks to the Hebrews you shall cast into #Gen. 41:1the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Exodus 1
1
1These are the names of the children of Israel, that went into Egypt with Jacob: they went in, every man with his household:
2Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda,
3Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin,
4Dan, and Nephtali, Gad and Aser.
5And all the souls that came out of Jacob's thigh, were seventy: but Joseph was in Egypt.
6After he was dead, and all his brethren, and all that generation,
7The children of Israel increased, and sprung up into multitudes. And growing exceedingly strong they filled the land.
8In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not Joseph.
9And he said to his people: Behold, the people of the children of Israel are numerous and stronger than we.
10Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply: and if any war shall rise against us, join with our enemies, and having overcome us, depart out of the land.
11Therefore he set over them masters of the works, to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom and Ramesses.
12But the more they oppressed them, the more they were multiplied, and increased.
13And the Egyptians hated the children of Israel: and afflicted them and mocked them
14And they made their life bitter with hard works in clay, and brick, and with all manner of service, wherewith they were overcharged in the works of the earth.
15And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua,
16Commanding them: When you shall do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery is come: if it be a man child, kill it: if a woman, keep it alive.
17But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded; but saved the men children.
18And the king called for them and said: What is that you meant to do, that you would save the men children?
19They answered: The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women. For they themselves are skillful in the office of a midwife; and they are delivered before we come to them.
20Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied and grew exceedingly strong.
21And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses.
22Pharao therefore charged all his people, saying: Whatsoever shall be born of the male sex, ye shall cast into the river: whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive.
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