Exodus 1

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 These are the names of the Israelites who went with Jacob to Egypt, each of them went with his family:	1 These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah,	2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin,	3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.	4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 In all, the descendants of Jacob numbered seventy persons. Joseph was in Egypt already.	5 Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.
6 Then Joseph died, and his brothers, and all that generation.	6 When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,
7 But the Israelites were fruitful and prolific; they became so numerous and powerful that eventually thewhole land was ful of them.	7 the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.
8 Then there came to power in Egypt a new king who had never heard of Joseph.	8 Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.
9 'Look,' he said to his people, 'the Israelites are now more numerous and stronger than we are.	9 And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.
10 We must take precautions to stop them from increasing any further, or if war should break out, theymight join the ranks of our enemies. They might take arms against us and then escape from the country.'	10 Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”
11 Accordingly they put taskmasters over the Israelites to wear them down by forced labour. In this waythey built the store-cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh.	11 And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.
12 But the harder their lives were made, the more they increased and spread, until people came to fearthe Israelites.	12 And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.
13 So the Egyptians gave them no mercy in the demands they made,	13 And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.
14 making their lives miserable with hard labour: with digging clay, making bricks, doing various kinds offield -- work -- al sorts of labour that they imposed on them without mercy.	14 And they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.
15 The king of Egypt then spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was cal ed Shiphrah, and theother Puah.	15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)
16 'When you attend Hebrew women in childbirth,' he said, 'look at the two stones. If it is a boy, kil him; ifa girl, let her live.'	16 instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”
17 But the midwives were God-fearing women and did not obey the orders of the king of Egypt, butal owed the boys to live.	17 But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.
18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, 'What do you mean by al owing theboys to live?'	18 And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”
19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, 'Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women, they are hardy and givebirth before the midwife can get to them.'	19 They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”
20 For this, God was good to the midwives, and the people went on increasing and growing morepowerful;	20 Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.
21 and since the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.	21 And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.
22 Pharaoh then gave all his people this command: 'Throw every new-born boy into the river, but let allthe girls live.'	22 Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”