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Exodus 1, RSV

1:1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:

1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

1:3 Is'sachar, Zeb'ulun, and Benjamin,

1:4 Dan and Naph'tali, Gad and Asher.

1:5 All the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt.

1:6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation.

1:7 But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong; so that the land was filled with them.

1:8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

1:9 And he said to his people, "Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.

1:10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war befall us, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land."

1:11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens; and they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Ra-am'ses.

1:12 But 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.

1:13 So they made the people of Israel serve with rigor,

1:14 and 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 made them serve with rigor.

1:15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiph'rah and the other Pu'ah,

1:16 "When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live."

1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.

1:18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the male children live?"

1:19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and are delivered before the midwife comes to them."

1:20 So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very strong.

1:21 And because the midwives feared God he gave them families.

1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live."

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