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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.'