1 ARST These are the names of Israel’ s sons who went into Egypt with Jacob and their families: BSB BSB: These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
2 ARST Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, BSB BSB: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
3 ARST Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, BSB BSB: Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;
4 ARST Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. BSB BSB: Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
5 ARST { At that time}, Jacob had 70 total descendants(including Joseph{ and his sons} who were already in Egypt.) BSB BSB: The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
6 ARST { After some time,} Joseph and his brothers and everyone else in their family who lived at that time died. BSB BSB: Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
7 ARST { Jacob’ s} descendants gave birth to many children. The number of his descendants grew, and they became extremely strong.{ As a result, there were so many of them that} they were everywhere in Egypt. BSB BSB: but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
8 ARST { However, sometime later,} a new king began to rule in Egypt. He did not know about{ all the good things} Joseph{ had done for the people of Egypt}. BSB BSB: Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9 ARST He said to his people,“Look{ at what has happened}! There are so many Israelites that they outnumber us Egyptians! BSB BSB: “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.
10 ARST We must find a way to control them! If we do not do that, there will be more of them. Then, if enemies attack us, the Israelites will join with our enemies and fight against us, and they will escape from our land.” BSB BSB: Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”
12 ARST But the more the Egyptians treated the Israelites badly, the more the Israelites had children, and the more they spread throughout Egypt. Therefore, the Egyptians were distressed because of the Israelites. BSB BSB: But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.
13 ARST The Egyptians ruthlessly made the Israelites work BSB BSB: They worked the Israelites ruthlessly
15 ARST Now there were two Hebrew midwives named Shiphrah and Puah. The king of Egypt said to them, BSB BSB: Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
16 ARST “When you help a Hebrew woman have a baby, pay attention right as the baby is born. If the baby is a boy, you must kill him. If the baby is a girl, you may let her live.” BSB BSB: “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
17 ARST But the midwives were afraid{ to disobey} God. So they did not obey what the king told them to do. They allowed the baby boys to live. BSB BSB: The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
18 ARST So the king summoned the two midwives and asked them,“Why are you doing this? Why are you letting the baby boys live?” BSB BSB: So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
19 ARST One of the midwives replied to the king,“{ We have not been able to obey you} because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. Because they are energetic, the Hebrew women have their babies before we arrive to help them.” BSB BSB: The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”
20 ARST Therefore, the{ Hebrew} people became numerous and very strong. God acted kindly to the midwives BSB BSB: So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
21 ARST because they were afraid{ to disobey} him. He gave them each a husband and children. BSB BSB: And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
22 ARST Then the king ordered all the Egyptian people,“Throw every{ Hebrew} baby boy that is born into the Nile River! However, you can allow the baby girls to live.” BSB BSB: Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”