Exodus 1

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:	1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who, accompanied by their households, migrated with Jacob into Egypt:
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,	2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and 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 Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.	5 The total number of the direct descendants of Jacob was seventy. Joseph was already in Egypt.
6 When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,	6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and that whole generation died.
7 the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.	7 But the Israelites were fruitful and prolific. They became so numerous and strong that the land was filled with them.
8 Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.	8 Then a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph , came to power in Egypt.
9 And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.	9 He said to his subjects, "Look how numerous and powerful the Israelite people are growing, more so than we ourselves!
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.”	10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase; otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies to fight against us, and so leave our country."
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.	11 Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. Thus they had to build for Pharaoh the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses.
12 And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.	12 Yet the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread. The Egyptians, then, dreaded the Israelites
13 And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.	13 and reduced them to cruel slavery,
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.	14 making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick and all kinds of field work--the whole cruel fate of slaves.
15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)	15 The king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shiphrah and the other Puah,
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.”	16 When you act as midwives for the Hebrew women and see them giving birth, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she may 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.	17 The midwives, however, feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt had ordered them, but let the boys live.
18 And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”	18 So the king summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you acted thus, allowing the boys to live?"
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.”	19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are robust and give birth before the midwife arrives."
20 Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.	20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives. The people, too, increased and grew strong.
21 And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.	21 And because the midwives feared God, he built up families for them.
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.”	22 Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects, "Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews, but you may let all the girls live."