THESE are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt – everyone with his household - with Jacob:

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin,

Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

With Joseph who had been in Egypt, all of Jacob’s household who came to Egypt were seventy persons.

In the course of time, Joseph, all his brethren and all that generation died.

In line with God’s promise, the Israelites grew, increased abundantly, multiplied and became so numerous such that the land was filled with them.

However, a new king reigned over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

He said to his people, “The children of Israel are more and mightier than us.

Let us deal wisely with them, so that they do not multiply and when war breaks out, they join our enemies, fight against us and get out of the land.”

Therefore, they set taskmasters over them to maltreat and to afflict the people with their tasks: They built treasure cities - Pithom and Raamses – for Pharaoh.

But the more they afflicted the people of Israel, the more they multiplied and grew, such that the Egyptians were grieved because of the children of Israel.

Consequently, the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve rigorously:

they made their lives bitter with hard bondage: mortaring, brickmaking and all manner of service in the field. All the task they gave them was rigorous.

Additionally, the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives - Shiphrah and Puah –

“When you do midwifery for any Hebrew women and see them bringing forth children, if she brings forth a son, kill him; but if a daughter, spare her.”

But the midwives feared God; they did not carry out the commandment of the king of Egypt – they spared the male children.

Seeing that, the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why did you do that – you spared the male children?”

The midwives said to Pharaoh. “The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; they are lively – they delivered before the midwives came.”

So, the people multiplied and became very strong; and because the midwives feared God, God dealt well with them – He gave them families.

Then Pharaoh instructed all his people, “Throw every son that is born to the river, but spare every daughter.”