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Exodus 1

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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Introduction

¹ Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they will not multiply and in the event of war, join our enemies, and fight against us and escape from the land."

² So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. And the sons of Israel built Pithom and Raamses as storage cities for Pharaoh.

³ But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that the Egyptians dreaded and were exasperated by the Israelites.

⁴ And the Egyptians made the Israelites serve rigorously [forcing them into severe slavery].

⁵ They made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar, brick, and all kinds of field work. All their labor was harsh and severe.

⁶ Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah (beauty) and the other named Puah (splendor),

⁷ When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.

⁸ But the midwives feared God [with profound reverence] and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but they let the boy babies live.

⁹ So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and allowed the boy babies to live?"

¹⁰ The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth quickly and their babies are born before the midwife can get to them."

¹¹ So God was good to the midwives, and the people [of Israel] multiplied and became very strong.

¹² And because the midwives feared God [with profound reverence],[6] He established families and households for them.

¹³ Then[7] Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "Every son who is born [to the Hebrews] must be thrown into the Nile, but every daughter you shall keep alive."

¹⁴ Now a[1] man of the house of Levi [the priestly tribe] went and took as his wife a daughter of Levi.

¹⁵ The woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw that he was [especially] beautiful and healthy, she hid him for three months [to protect him from the Egyptians].

¹⁶ When she could no longer hide him, she got him a basket (chest) made of papyrus reeds and covered it with tar and pitch [making it waterproof]. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.

¹⁷ And his sister [Miriam] stood some distance away to find out what would happen to him.

¹⁸ Now the[2] daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, and [she, together with] her maidens walked along the river's bank; she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid [to get it], and she brought it to her.

¹⁹ When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. And she took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."

²⁰ Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call a[3] wet-nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?"

²¹ And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go ahead." So the girl went and called the child's mother.

²² Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him.

#	AMP
1	Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they will not multiply and in the event of war, join our enemies, and fight against us and escape from the land."
2	So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. And the sons of Israel built Pithom and Raamses as storage cities for Pharaoh.
3	But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that the Egyptians dreaded and were exasperated by the Israelites.
4	And the Egyptians made the Israelites serve rigorously [forcing them into severe slavery].
5	They made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar, brick, and all kinds of field work. All their labor was harsh and severe.
6	Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah (beauty) and the other named Puah (splendor),
7	When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.
8	But the midwives feared God [with profound reverence] and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but they let the boy babies live.
9	So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and allowed the boy babies to live?"
10	The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth quickly and their babies are born before the midwife can get to them."
11	So God was good to the midwives, and the people [of Israel] multiplied and became very strong.
12	And because the midwives feared God [with profound reverence],[6] He established families and households for them.
13	Then[7] Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "Every son who is born [to the Hebrews] must be thrown into the Nile, but every daughter you shall keep alive."
14	Now a[1] man of the house of Levi [the priestly tribe] went and took as his wife a daughter of Levi.
15	The woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw that he was [especially] beautiful and healthy, she hid him for three months [to protect him from the Egyptians].
16	When she could no longer hide him, she got him a basket (chest) made of papyrus reeds and covered it with tar and pitch [making it waterproof]. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.
17	And his sister [Miriam] stood some distance away to find out what would happen to him.
18	Now the[2] daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, and [she, together with] her maidens walked along the river's bank; she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid [to get it], and she brought it to her.
19	When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. And she took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
20	Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call a[3] wet-nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?"
21	And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go ahead." So the girl went and called the child's mother.
22	Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him.

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Exodus 1

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