1 And these are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Mizraim with Jakob; (each) man with the men of his house they came in: 2 Reuben, Shimeon, Levi and Jehudah, 3 Issakar, Zebulon and Benyamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came forth from the thigh of Jakob were seventy souls, with Joseph who was in Mizraim. 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation; 7 But the sons of Israel increased and propagated, and became great and very mighty, and the land was filled with them.

8 But a new king arose over Mizraim who did not hold valid (or confirm) the decree of Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we: 10 Come, let us deal wisely by them, lest they multiply, and it be that should war happen to us they join themselves with our enemies, and break forth in the war against us, and go up from the land. 11 And they appointed over them evildoing governors (shiltonin) to afflict them in their labours. And they builded cities of treasure houses for Pharoh, Pithom, and Raamsas. 12 But by as much as they afflicted them, so they increased and waxed strong, and the Mizraee had vexation on account of the sons of Israel; 13 And the Mizraee made the sons of Israel serve with rigour, 14 and embittered their lives with hard labour, in clay and in brick, and in all labour of the field, all the work which they wrought, they made them do with hardship.

15 And the king of Mizraim spake to the midwives of Jewesses, (Yehuditha,) of whom the name of the one was Shiphra, and the name of the second Puvah; 16 And he said, When you do the office of the midwife among the Jewish women, and you look upon the childbirth, if it be a son, you shall kill him; but if a daughter, let her live. 17 But the midwives feared before the Lord, and did not act as the king of Mizraim had bidden them, but preserved the sons alive. 18 And the king of Mizraim called 19 The midwives said to Pharoh, It is because the Jewesses are unlike the Mizraite women; they are cunning, and give birth before the midwives come to them. 20 And the Lord did good to the midwives; and the people multiplied and became strong. 21 And because the midwives feared before the Lord He made for them houses. 22 But Pharoh commanded all his people, saying, Every son who is born to the Jews you shall throw into the river, and every daughter you shall keep alive.