The children of Israel, after Joseph's death, do multiply.

1 ¶ Now these² [are] the namesº of the childrenº of Israel,º which cameºª into Egypt;º every manº and his householdº cameºª with² Jacob.º 2 Reuben,º Simeon,º Levi,º and Judah,º 3 Issachar,º Zebulun,º and Benjamin,º 4 Dan,º and Naphtali,º Gad,º and Asher.º 5 And all² the soulsº that came outºª of the loinsº of Jacobº were² seventyº souls:º for Josephº was² in Egyptº [already]. 6 And Josephº died,ºª and all² his brethren,º and all² that² generation.º

7 ¶ And the childrenº of Israelº were fruitful,ºª and increased abundantly,ºª and multiplied,ºª and waxed exceedingº mighty;ººª and the landº was filledºª with² them.

The more they are oppressed by a new king, the more they multiply.

8 Now there arose upºª a newº kingº over² Egypt,º which² knewºª not²² Joseph.º 9 And he saidºª unto² his people,º Behold,² the peopleº of the childrenº of Israelº [are] moreº and mightierº than² we: 10 Come² on,¹ª let us deal wiselyºª with them; lest² they multiply,ºª and it come to pass,² that, when² there falleth outºª any war,º theyº joinºª also² unto² our enemies,ºª and fightºª against us, and [so] get them upºª out of² the land.º 11 Therefore they did setºª over² them taskmastersºº to² afflictºª them with their burdens.º And they builtºª for Pharaohº treasureº cities,º² Pithomº and Raamses.º 12 But the more² they afflictedºª them, the moreº they multipliedºª and grew.ºª² And they were grievedºª becauseº² of the childrenº of Israel.º 13 And the Egyptiansº made¹ª² the childrenº of Israelº to serveºª with rigour:º 14 And they made¹ª² their livesº bitterºª with hardº bondage,º in morter,º and in brick,º and in all manner² of serviceº in the field:º² all² their service,º wherein² they made them serve,ºª [was] with rigour.º

The godliness of the midwives, in saving the men children alive.

15 ¶ And the kingº of Egyptº spakeºª to the Hebrewº midwives,ºª of which² the nameº of the oneº [was] Shiphrah,º and the nameº of the otherº Puah:º 16 And he said,ºª When ye do the office of a midwifeºª to² the Hebrew women,º and seeºª [them] upon² the stools;º if² it² [be] a son,º then ye shall killºª him: but if² it² [be] a daughter,º then she shall live.ºª 17 But the midwivesºª fearedºª² God,º and didºª not² as² the kingº of Egyptº commandedºª² them, but savedºª² the men childrenº alive.¹ª 18 And the kingº of Egyptº called¹ª for² the midwives,ºª and saidºª unto them, Whyº have ye doneºª this² thing,º and have savedºª² the men childrenº alive?¹ª 19 And the midwivesºª saidºª unto² Pharaoh,º Because² the Hebrew¹ women¹² [are] not² as the Egyptian² women;¹² for² they² [are] lively,º and are deliveredºª ereº the midwivesºª come inºª unto² them. 20 Therefore Godº dealt wellºª with the midwives:ºª and the peopleº multiplied,ºª and waxed very¹ mighty.ºª² 21 And it came to pass,² because² the midwivesºª fearedºª² God,º that he madeºª them houses.º

Pharaoh commandeth the male children to be cast into the river.

22 And Pharaohº chargedºª all² his people,º saying,ºª Every² sonº that is bornº ye shall castºª into the river,º and every² daughterº ye shall save alive.ºª