Exodus

Slavery and Genocide

Here are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:

Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah,

Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin,

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

These descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in total; apart from these, Joseph was already in Egypt.

Then Joseph died, along with all his brothers and that entire generation.

The sons of Israel were fruitful and kept multiplying. They grew so numerous and substantial that the land was filled with them.

Then a new king who had not known Joseph came to power

and said to his people:

“The Israelites are more numerous and stronger than we are.

Let us deal warily with them lest they increase still more and, in case of war, side with our enemy, fight against us, and escape from the land.”

So they appointed taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. In this way, they built the storage towns of Pithom and Raamses.

But the more they oppressed the Hebrews, the more they increased and spread until the Egyptians feared the Israelites

Go now! I will be on your lips and will inspire what you say.”

and became cruel in forcing them to work.

They made life hard for them with demanding labor involving bricks, mortar, and all sorts of outdoor work. In all their toil, the Egyptians treated them harshly.

Then the king of Egypt ordered the Hebrew midwives—one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah:

that when they assisted Hebrew women on the birthing stool and observed that it was a boy, they were to kill it, but if it was a girl, they were to let it live.

But the midwives feared God and did not follow the king of Egypt’s command; instead, they let the children live.

The king summoned the midwives and asked:

“Why have you acted like that and let the children live?”

The midwives answered:

Because the Hebrew women are different from Egyptian women, they are vigorous and give birth even before a midwife arrives.

God blessed the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew even more numerous.

Because the midwives feared God, he granted them families.

Pharaoh then issued this command to all the people:

“Every male infant born to the Hebrews must be thrown into the Nile, but every girl may live.”