Get the free app for more features and content.
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

1These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3Isʹsachar, Zebʹulun, and Benjamin, 4Dan and Naphʹtali, Gad and Asher. 5All the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation. 7But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong; so that the land was filled with them.

8Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10Come, 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.” 11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens; and they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Ra-amʹses. 12But 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. 13So they made the people of Israel serve with rigor, 14and 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.

15Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphʹrah and the other Puʹah, 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.” 17But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18So the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19The 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.” 20So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21And because the midwives feared God he gave them families. 22Then 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.”

Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Featured Resources

What Role Did the Midwives Play in Exodus?

What Role Did the Midwives Play in Exodus?

The Village Church exists to bring glory to God by making disciples through g...

The Village Church

Exodus 1-2 | Suffering in Egypt | Bible Study

Exodus 1-2 | Suffering in Egypt | Bible Study

This Bible study devotional covers Exodus chapters 1-2. Here we see God worki...

Spoken Gospel

Book of Exodus Summary: A Complete Animated Overview (Part 1)

Book of Exodus Summary: A Complete Animated Ove...

Watch our overview video on Exodus 1-18, which breaks down the literary desig...

BibleProject

Introduction to Exodus

Introduction to Exodus

Dr. Dwight Radcliff introduces Exodus and its themes of God’s glory and supre...

Fuller Studio

Why the Biblical Exodus Matters (John Oswalt)

Why the Biblical Exodus Matters (John Oswalt)

https://seedbed.com Seedbed's mission is to gather, connect, and resource ...

Seedbed

Exodus

Exodus

The Village Church

The Book of Exodus - Part 1

The Book of Exodus - Part 1

The first part of Exodus recounts how Abraham’s family ends up enslaved in Eg...

BibleProject

How to See the Gospel in Exodus

How to See the Gospel in Exodus

The Village Church exists to bring glory to God by making disciples through g...

The Village Church

Moses and Aaron

Moses and Aaron

After God appoints Moses to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of s...

BibleProject

Exodus is Our Story

Exodus is Our Story

From the sermon, Exodus (Part 1) - Our Story in Exodus - http://www.thevillag...

The Village Church

Explore Exodus 1