Exodus 1:1-14

Israel Multiplies In Egypt

1Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; each came with his household: 2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; 3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; 4Dan and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5All the descendants of Jacob were seventy people; Joseph was [already] in Egypt. 6Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation, 7but the Israelites were prolific and increased greatly; they multiplied and became extremely strong, so that the land was filled with them.

8Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph [nor the history of his accomplishments]. 9He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us [they greatly outnumber us]. 10“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.” 11So 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. 12But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that the Egyptians dreaded and were exasperated by the Israelites. 13And the Egyptians made the Israelites serve rigorously [forcing them into severe slavery]. 14They made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar, brick, and all kinds of field work. All their labor was harsh and severe.